


The North Tower

by P_Artsypants



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Curses, F/M, Haunted Houses, ghost - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-01-23 04:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 45,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12498748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P_Artsypants/pseuds/P_Artsypants
Summary: When Finn Hofferson died, Astrid inherited his castle in Wales...and a whole lot more. Something sinister lurks in the North Tower. A (not so) short spooky story in time for halloween.





	1. New Home

Astrid pulled into the driveway with the lawyer. The trip from the US to Wales had been a long haul, and to say she was exhausted was an understatement.

“Is this it then?” She asked, stepping out from the car.

“Yes ma’am.” The lawyer, Mala Throk replied, a briefcase and a set of keys in hand.

The castle was set upon a hill, and looked over a sizable town on one side, and a lake on the other. It was huge and looked to be mostly intact. Of course, Astrid knew this wasn’t the case as she had visited the castle as a child on Holidays.

“Your Uncle left a very specific set of instructions on what he wanted you to do with the castle,” the lawyer explained, being the one to draft the will. “The South Tower, the one we are going into now is to be used for guests, and they are not to venture farther than the ballroom on the western wall. This is the only part of the castle that is fully renovated for renting out.”

The lawyer unlocked the front door with a skeleton key.

“Right,” Astrid agreed. “When my uncle had my family visit for Christmas, he had us stay in the South and West Towers. The West Tower isn’t as fancy, but it’s still spacious and historic.”

“And on that note,” Mala pushed her way inside, stepping into the lavish, but dank smelling, lobby. “The West Tower is only for family and hired hands for events. It is renovated servants quarters.”

Astrid twirled slowly in place, taking in the rich architecture and vivid tapestries. Directly in front, there was a long hallway lined with suits of armor that led to the ballroom, this Astrid remembered it from when the great Christmas tree sat in the corner, flooded with silver packages. It had a huge fireplace, big enough to sit in. It was the largest room in the house. On either side of the hall, a double staircase led to the dining hall. Iron statutes in the shape of people sat on the railings, baring torches. To the right and left of Astrid, two more halls lead down to the East and West Towers. A wrought iron chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling. “It’s more beautiful then I remember.”

“I apologize for the smell,” Mala stated, going to a window. “I was instructed to have the castle shut up until you arrived. The power should be back up sometime during the night. Your uncle has dehumidifiers in the ceiling, so the air should smell better in the morning.”

“It’s not so bad. It beats city air at least.” Astrid strolled the hall and opened another window, framed by rich mahogany and satin curtains. “I’m sorry I couldn’t move in sooner, I was just so close to finishing my degree.”

“I’m not concerned with it,” Mala smiled. “The groundskeeper, a man named Eret, was left a hefty sum of money by your Uncle, and went on Holiday. I’m sure he appreciated the time off. Finishing your degree was a wise choice, especially if you want to continue your Uncle’s work at restoring the castle.”

“I’ve dreamed of it ever since I was a little girl.” She grinned, “every Christmas I looked forward to coming to visit the castle. And my Uncle would take me to the library and tell me the history of the land. I’m eager to get to work.”

Mala grinned. “I’m so glad to hear it.” At this point, the duo headed back out to the car to get Astrid’s luggage.

“Thanks again, for all your help getting me settled in. My parents aren’t able to come until next week.”

“Oh, it’s no problem at all.” Mala promised, “I love this castle. In the many times I visited Finn Hofferson, he gave me tour after tour, and told me the stories behind various art and rooms. Even on his death bed, he recounted things he spent years studying and writing down. His library is surely a wealth of knowledge…and his home…There’s just something magical about it.”

“If you believed my Uncle’s stories, then yes, it’s very magical.”

Mala snickered, “Oh, you don’t believe the castle is haunted?”

“I’m not sure I believe in ghosts…but I guess I’ll find out living here, now won’t I?” Astrid started heading to the West Tower, suitcase in hand. “If there are ghosts, maybe they can tell me more history about the castle.”

“Oh, Astrid, your room is in the East Tower.”

“Oh…” Said she in response.

“Unless you don’t want to live over there…”

“Oh no, that’s fine, I’m just so used to the West Tower.”

“The East Tower is only for you and Eret. It’s where the master bedroom is. Along with the Library.”

“My Uncle’s room, then?”

“Yes, precisely.”

Astrid followed Mala down the long hallway, framed with gothic windows and vivid paintings.

“I don’t think you ever mentioned the North Tower.”

“Oh, you’re right. It slipped my mind.” Mala replied, continuing to the stairs. In the middle of the tower, a spiral staircase traveled up and down three flights each way. Astrid knew it was the same in the West Tower. All the doors to the other rooms were visible. Together they climbed to the top floor, slightly breathless.

“So the North Tower…” Astrid reminded, panting.

“Oh yes, the North Tower,” Mala opened the bedroom door, coughing a bit at the dust that lied within. The room was indescribable. The windows on the far side of the room reached from ceiling to floor. The bed was directly across from the door. Large, buried with pillows; lush blood red sheets dressed the mattress. Ebony curtains hung by the windows and around the frame of the bed. On the North wall, a neat fireplace was tucked into the wall, encased with ornate marble carvings. Above the mantle hung a painting of an unknown man, wearing a fur pelt over his shoulder. He was not conventionally handsome, with a broad nose and tightly sealed lips. His hair, brown like chocolate with a copper tone, was swept back like a wave. But his expression was less then charming, like he was forced to sit for hours. He held an air of danger and roguish strength. His deep eyes held resentment and something else…longing? Astrid could not tell. She turned her attention from the bewitching portrait the the rest of the room. On each side of the fireplace was a door. One lead to a closet, the other to a bathroom.

“The North Tower is…a bit of a mystery to me actually.” Mala explained as Astrid set her bags down. “Your Uncle explicitly stated that it is prohibited to everyone except the owner of the house. Which is you now, I suppose. He said within it lies ‘disturbing truths’. When I pressed him about it, he refused to answer. It was the only time he would not elaborate on the History of the home.”

Astrid rolled her eyes, “it’s the whole ghost thing again.”

“The haunted aspect is what gave the castle it’s charm, and what brought the tourists in for events. Might I suggest keeping the stories alive?”

Astrid chuckled, “Just because I am skeptical doesn’t mean I’m going to give up a tried and true money making scheme.”

Mala smiled softly, “call it what you like, but I think there’s more to this castle then there seems.”

“I’m sure there is. The first thing I’m going to do is explore that North Tower for myself. Maybe I can use whatever I see to enhance my Uncle’s stories.”

“Splendid idea.” Mala grinned, “but might I suggest we bring in the groceries? By time we get those in, I’m sure the moving truck will be here with your things.”

“O-oh, right, of course.” Astrid sheepishly glanced away. Before leaving the room, she gazed again at the painting at the wall. “Mala, do you know who that is?”

The older woman shook her head, “I’m afraid I don’t. Your Uncle painted it, you know. Don’t know why it would be hanging in his room though.”

“That’s my uncle’s work?” Astrid stepped up closer to examine it. “He never had a steady hand when I knew him.”

Mala stepped forward too, “it must be very old then.”

“Look, the date,” Astrid pointed. “1953, Uncle was around my age then. Here, help me take it down from the wall.” The two women lifted it the large painting and then set it to lean against the bed frame.

The back only said one thing.

- _Hiccup_

“Hiccup?”

“I wonder what that could mean?” Mala mused.

“Maybe Uncle was commissioned and the model—or financier, didn’t like it. That’s why he has it.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t tell you about this painting.”

“I never came into his room.” She shrugged, “there’s a lot to learn about here in the first place.”

“Well, whoever this young man is, he’s an old man now. Might even be dead.”

“Too bad, he’s kind of cute.”

Mala only laughed as she headed back into the hall.

After about a half hour, the two had stocked the kitchen in the South Tower enough for Astrid to survive for a while. “Alright, the ice should keep the beef and milk cool enough, but try not to open the fridge as much as you can. At least until tomorrow.”

“Right.” Astrid nodded, “it’s going to be a pain trying to get around in this place in the dark.”

“Oh!” Mala snapped her fingers, “I knew that was going to be a problem, and I brought a LED flashlight for you. It’s in my car.”

“You are the best lawyer ever.” Astrid praised.

By the time everything was said and done, and she was moved in, it was around 8 o’clock and everything was dark. Astrid gave up the idea of trying to unpack more with just a flashlight, and stumbled her way back to her room.

At night, the castle was extraordinary creepy. There was no moon to illuminate. Just pitch black. Her flashlight landed on statues and cast eerie shadows on the walls.

“Ghosts indeed,” she muttered to herself.

After getting into the East Tower staircase, Astrid looked down to the bottom floor and paused at the unopened library. It wasn’t nearly time for bed yet, and what a better way to pass the time then reading up on the History she was so excited about? It took a couple of turns to find the right key for the door, and for a moment she hesitated. All of the keys were a tarnished gold, except for one, which was pitch black.

“North Tower,” she rolled her eyes.

Inside the Library, the flashlight ghosted over the various shelves as she took it all in. The library wrapped around the staircase, following it up three flights to the main floor. Books covered the inside walls, and two balconies allowed for access. The far wall directly in front of her was covered by a curtain, presumably over the windows, and Astrid made light work of opening them up. Not much light came in, but a sliver on the horizon, as the view was to the lake below and the mountains in the distance. Though, from this angle, the North Tower was within sight.

“Bah,” she waved her hand at the offending building.

Turning her attention back to the library, she took note of the large mahogany desk that sat just to the side of the windows with a fireplace behind it. Above that, a huge portrait of another man hung. This time, the man looked older but had a fur pelt draped over his arm. He wore studded metal and had a wild beard.

“Hmm, young Santa,” she mused. Though, the man in question did not look so holly-jolly. Much like the first painting, the model wore a sort of grimace and showed great sadness. 

She had to admit, she was impressed.

Astrid stood on a chair to examine the corners. “Hmm, 1950. He did this one first.”

On the bottom of the frame, a gold plaque laid into the wood.

- _The Chief_

 _“_ Curiouser and curiouser.” Astrid shook her head. Not far from the desk, a shelf of books were covered by a grate and locked, supposedly to keep them private. “Here we go. Tell me your juicy secrets.” Astrid flipped through the key ring until she found one that looked to fit. “Uncle really included every key to this house on this ring.”

The grate rose, and inside sat several unmarked books. She plucked the oldest looking one out and reclined on the lounge chair.

Inside, she was greeted with handwriting. “It’s a journal,” she mused.

_June 18, 1945._

_A month ago, my father died. My younger brother was notified in America, and he’s simply crushed. He wrote that he refuses to come back to Wales. My mother left shortly after, to get away from this blasted war. Therefore, I have inherited my childhood home. I am but a child myself, only just turned 18. Having an entire castle to myself just feels incredibly wrong. Though, I have allowed some displaced families to stay in the West and South towers. I make no money off of this venture, I only do it to because I am horrified of the children that sit in the train station with their masks. I have locked up the East Tower and the North remains shut._

_My father once told me that disturbing truths lie within the North Tower, and that one day when I’m old, he’ll take me there to see it for myself. I suppose since he is no longer here to guide me, I am old enough to traverse that tower alone. I have begun this journal to document what I find._

_I have my hunches to what lies inside. After all, I have lived my entire life in this house. I know all the secret passage ways and can find my way even in the dark. I know something lives in the North Tower. Because I heard it breathing._

_Every tower has multiple ways to get to it, and yet, every door to the North Tower, save for one, has been completely sealed shut. The East Tower, on the main floor has a door with a slide lock on it. Beyond that, the hall is unrecognizable to the rest of the house. There is nothing in it save for the locked door on the other end. Tomorrow, I will venture inside and see what I find._

_-Finn_

Astrid was full of apprehension just reading about it. She turned the page, but was distracted by something outside.

There was a light on in the North Tower. 


	2. New Neighbors

Astrid hastily pulled out her phone and dialed the non-emergency number Mala had given her. She moved quickly from the library back up to the South Tower.

“Conwy Police department.” A male voice responded on the other end of the line.

“Hello, yes, my name is Astrid Hofferson. I just moved into my Uncle’s castle on the hill, I think there are squatters living here.”

“Hofferson you said? As in Castle Hofferson?”

“Yes sir,” Astrid responded. She climbed the main stairs in the lobby to the dining hall, and opened the curtains a crack. From there, she could see the North Tower again, and the light was still on.

“Alright ma’am, I just dispatched an officer to you. He should be there softly.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Call back if anything changes.”

Astrid hung up the phone, but kept her eyes trained on the windows across the way. Shadows of people seemed to move about, but she couldn’t tell if it was just the trick of the light.

Soon enough though, she heard the ring of the doorbell and hurried from her spot.

At the door stood a policeman with a not so pleasant look on his face. “Astrid Hofferson?”

“Yes, thank you for coming.” She beckoned him inside. 

“I’m officer Ryker, you called about a home intruder?”

“Yes, if you’ll follow me.” She lead him back up the stairs into the dining room and pointed at the North Tower. “I’m the only one supposed to be here. I was in the library when I noticed, but the light couldn’t have been on long before I called.”

“Is there any outside entrances to that tower?”

“Not that I’m aware of. The only entrance is in the East Tower, and it’s locked.”

The officer looked skeptically at the tower. “Do you mind if I look around the outside?”

“Please, be my guest.”

The duo walked out of the castle and walked around the back. The North Tower was surrounded by the lake, the water lapping at the stones. Officer Ryker stood on the dock and dragged his torch light over the cold wet stone. Wordlessly, he left the dock and walked all the way around to the other side of the Castle. From this side, the tower was still sitting in water, but there was a section in the wall that looked different then the rest, as if it had been repaired. Still, the stone looked smooth, and unclimbable. Even if the windows at the top were broken, there was no way to get to them.

“What are you trying to pull, huh?” The man accused, looking at her.

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m sure all the businesses in town appreciate the traffic from your so called ‘Haunted Castle’ but whatever publicity stunt you’re trying to pull…it’s a waste of time and resources.”

Astrid was aghast. “I’m not trying to pull anything! I just moved in today!”

“Yeah, well, it’s probably some special effects left over from the last owner. Now if you’ll excuse me.” The officer sharply walked away and back to his squad car. Astrid followed shortly after, after looking over the tower once again.

“I’ve never met such a rude cop before.” She huffed, going inside. She flicked the switch on the lobby wall, and suddenly remembered, with horror, that the power was still off.

“Maybe Uncle had some sort of generator over there…and it’s just a timed light. Yeah, that’s it.” Astrid repeated this to herself as she returned to the East Tower and prepared for bed. She slipped on her pajamas and threw on a pair of house slippers to keep her feet warm on the cold hardwood floor. All the while, she kept her eyes trained on the light in the North Tower.

“Ugh!” She threw her arms up in the air, “there’s no way I’m going to get any peace of mind unless I go over there and see for myself that there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Such things were easier said then done. She slipped a small blanket over her shoulders and grabbed her flashlight. The ring of keys sat heavily in her hand.

Down the stairs she traveled, down to the main floor where she found the door with the slide lock on the north wall. A small sign read ‘Do Not Enter’ upon the face. 

She lifted the bolt and unlocked the door. It opened with a loud creak.

“Note to self, find out if they sell WD-40 in Wales.”

A gust of cold dusty air hit her face. Inside, the hall was unrecognizable, like her Uncle had written. There were huge cracks in the walls, and barely any glass in the windows. Even parts of the floor were missing. Cobwebs danced in the drafty air. A huge, black door stood waiting for her. So she stepped carefully over the debris covered floor, and slid the black key into the lock.

As she turned the key, it got stuck for a moment, and then it unlocked with an echoing clang. She pushed it open, only to find it extremely heavy. Finally it gave way to inky blackness.

The stairwell was similar to the East and West wings, but the railings were rusting away and crumbling. A huge statue of a man stood in the middle of the room. He wore robes with his arms crossed in front of him and his hood covered his face. No paintings or any decorations of any kind but spiderwebs hung on the walls. The stairs travelled up three flights, to a broken stained glass ceiling, but as she glanced down the other way…

The light of the flashlight never hit the bottom. The robes of the statue continued down into the darkness. Astrid picked a bit of debris from the floor and dropped it down the center of the stairwell. After a good ten seconds, it finally splashed at the bottom.

“Oh boy.” She dreaded the climb down and back up.

Looking at the top floor, she noticed there was a door closed, but a yellow light was pouring out from around it. Muffled voices echoed from there as well. She had finally found her intruders. Climbing the stairs, the voices became clearer. There were more people than she expected.

This door didn’t creak, thankfully. The room appeared to have been a chapel at one point, but unlike any chapel she had ever seen. It was a wide room, taking up at least half of the floor. The stain glass windows were mostly intact, and that’s all that gave away the nature of the room. Dozens of mismatched tables and chairs were scattered about, only a few occupied. Big torches hung on the wall, and a few candles, wax spilling over the tables, were gleaming. Other than that, the room was empty.

She stood in the doorway for only a moment before she was noticed and the room grew quiet.

“Oi! ‘o the ‘ell are you?”

Astrid straighten up. “I could ask you all the same thing. You’re trespassing.”

“ _We’re_ trespassing?”

The assembled crowd laughed like they had just heard the funniest joke of their lives.

“Yes!” Astrid tried to seem intimidating, but it was hard in her Batman pajamas and matching house slippers.

A heavy man, missing an arm and a leg, stood and sauntered over to her. “Fearless Finn Hofferson is the owner of this Castle. Now, I’ll ask you again, who are you?” He shut the door behind her, leaning against it to prevent her escape. Astrid was too stunned to answer.

“Hey Gobber, why don’t you relax? I’m sure she doesn’t mean any harm.” A younger voice spoke. He stood, and joined them.

Astrid shook out of her trance, “My name is Astrid Hofferson, Finn was my Uncle. I just inherited the Castle.”

The armless man, Gobber, seemed saddened, “so Finn has died then. Not so surprising, he was old.”

“90 years old,” Astrid clarified.

“Alright,” the man stated, becoming much more pleasant. “My name is Gobber. I’m sorry for scaring you.” He stuck a hook out to her.

She shook it carefully. “It’s nice to meet you.” She glanced at the young man, who smiled at her. He was as wide as he was tall, with sandy blonde hair, and seemed very nice indeed. 

“But I am serious, you guys are trespassing. I’m going to have to ask you to leave. If you knew my Uncle, then know that his wishes were this Tower to be off limits to anyone except the owner of the house.”

Gobber waved her off and headed back to his seat. “Just like every Hofferson before him.”

The other younger man echoed. “It’s best that way, after all.”

“What?” Astrid questioned.

The door suddenly flew open, and then was slammed shut in the same breath. Yet another young man, seemingly familiar, with one leg, leaned against the wood and panted.

“Any luck?” Asked Gobber, fazing Astrid out.

“Not an pinch,” said the boy. “He’s gone for good.”

“Just give him some time, and he’ll come around.”

He combed his amber hair away from his face. “You say that about everyone who goes, but here we are, with 75 open chairs.” He gestured to the room around them.

“76,” Gobber corrected.

The young man scowled at him. Then he seemed to notice the new presence in the room. “Uh, hi.”

“Hi…” she responded.

“She’s Finn’s niece,” Gobber provided, “her name is Astrid.”

Another man called out, “she says we’re trespassing and need to leave. You should put her in her place!”

“Me? Why me?” Said the young man.

“Because Stoick’s not here to do it.” Gobber provided.

After careful consideration, he held his arm out to her. “We can’t leave, I’m afraid, so why don’t we explain things to you?”

She hesitantly took his arm, studying him all the while. “I know you…”

He seemed baffled by this, “you do?”

“There’s a painting of you in my room. It says Hiccup on the back.”

He smiled, embarrassed. “I told him not to hang that up. Hiccup is my name.”

“Oh…I see.” She nodded.

He guided her to the table where Gobber was sitting, and had her sit at the head. A few others gathered around to listen in.

A short stocky man started dealing cards around the table.

“So…” began Astrid. “what does the number 1953 mean to you?” She asked Hiccup.

“Huh?”

“On the painting, it read 1953, I assumed it was a year…but that can’t be right.”

Hiccup looked upward in thought, “no, I think that would be about right. It was about 60 years ago.”

“60…” she stared at him. “Then…you must be over 80 years old!”

Gobber laughed, “oh lass, we’re much older than that. Much older.”

She looked across the faces of those assembled, they were all smiling pleasantly at her, but she could see it was fake. There was a hopelessness that clung to them.

“How…much older?”

Hiccup leaned back, “let’s see. It started with Axel, then there was Braig, then Edmund, Udo, Alen, Wren…” he trailed off, “Bucket, are you still keeping track of the years?”

A man, with a bucket on his head, spoke up from his hand of cards, “1,228 years and now 19 generations of Hofferson’s.”

“A thousand years…” she breathed. “Then…that would take us back to at least 800 AD, you’re all from the Viking Age!”

“Correction,” added the large young man from earlier, “we _are_ vikings.”

She stared, skeptical and amazed, before she reached out and touched Hiccup. “But, you aren’t ghosts. I don’t understand…this has to be a joke. Is this a prank from my Uncle? Did he set this up from the beginning? That has to be…this doesn’t make any…sense…” Despite saying this all out loud, there was just something that felt odd to the whole situation.

Hiccup shook his head, “We’re not ghosts…not in here, at least.”

“Once we leave the tower, we turn into specters.” Provided the other boy. “We can come back and forth, but leaving the castle is out of the question.”

Astrid considered this information for a moment. “Okay, so the castle is haunted by some Vikings. At least you all are nice, and there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Hiccup winced, “well, I wouldn’t say that...”

Suddenly, the door blew open with a huge gust and the cards on the table went flying. The candles blew out. Most of the vikings looked unfazed.

“HOFFERSON!!!” A thundering voice called.

“And that’s your cue to get out.” Hiccup stood, taking her arm. “I’ll escort you. Now, come quickly.”

Hiccup dragged her around down the stairs, and she hurriedly kept up with him. From the depths, she could hear water boiling and air pulsing…like a deep breath.

“HOFFERSON!!!!” Screamed the voice again, blowing her hair and clothes every which way.

“Calm down! She’s leaving!” Hiccup shouted over the railing.

Whatever malevolent beast was down there did not appreciate Hiccup’s remark, and the dark gave way to a red glow.

“Mmmm not good, hurry.” Hiccup wrapped an arm around her back and bid her out the black door, into the hallway, closing it behind him. He threw himself against it. “Lock it! Quick!”

She thrust the key in the lock and turned it, just in time for it to shutter with excessive force.

“Okay, you’re safe now.” Hiccup breathed.

“Are you sure that door will hold up?”

He nodded, “this door is stronger than it looks. We can’t get through it when it’s locked.” As he spoke, he seemed to flicker. A white glowing haze moved around his body, like his soul was lagging around him. He looked at the door, “he’s probably still lurking, so it’s best if I stay out here for now.”

She nodded silently, backing away from the door.

Hiccup caught up to her, flickering more and more as they travelled. “A rule of thumb I would use, is to not go in this tower when the sun is set. That’s when they are awake.” 

“They?”

“The others. You didn’t think it was just the 19 of us in that room, did you?”

She shrugged, “I didn’t know how many to expect…it didn’t seem like 19 either…”

They reached the other door and he pulled it open, “after you.”

“Thanks,” she stepped back into the East Tower while he lingered in the door. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Yes, but…once I pass through this door, my appearance will change drastically. Just…don’t be scared.”

“Okay.” She confirmed.

He stepped through and his skin melted away, leaving a white skeleton clothed in a white hazy form. The image reminded her of nightmares long forgotten.

“OKAY.” She said a little loudly. “Drastic is definitely the word I would use…”

“It’s late,” he urged her to the stairs, “you should go to bed.”

She heeded him, walking up towards her room, but avoiding looking at him. “Can I confess something?”

“Of course, we are housemates, after all.”

“I ventured to the North Tower because I wanted to prove to myself there was nothing to be afraid of. But now…I’m more terrified than I was before. Whatever is down there in that stairwell…”

“Just don’t go into the North Tower at night, and all will be well.” He consoled.

She opened the door to her room and his form changed again. Just the white haze remained, and it was the same form she had seen in the chapel, just fuzzier. His eyes glowed a solid green. “Better,” she concluded.

He looked around the room, a fond look on his face. “It’s been a while since I was in here.” His voice turned slightly ashy and whispers surrounded his words. “I’ve known every Hofferson that lived in this Castle. My father did too.”

“Your father?” Astrid climbed into her bed and pulled the comforter up.

“The chief, Stoick the Vast.”

“Oh…he’s the one that hangs in the Library.”

“Yes, I did know about that one.”

“But I thought Gobber said…”

He glanced away, “I didn’t realize you heard that.” He sat upon the edge of the bed, not disrupting the sheets. “I’m the chief now, unfortunately. My father has gone away with the others.”

“Oh,” was her modest reply. She didn’t know how to respond, since he seemed to avoid the subject of these ‘others’.

“Rest, Astrid,” he commanded again, standing.

“Where are you going?”

He smiled at her, “not far.” He moved about her room, observing and moving things around.

“You’re snooping,” she accused.

“Only a little,” he admitted, taking some books from a box and setting them on a shelf. “I’ll stay with you all night. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Now rest…”

She was exhausted. She had been all day, since arriving here. The bed was awfully soft, despite the smell of dust and mothballs. Soon she felt her eyelids close.

The relaxation didn’t last long as a door downstairs banged open.


	3. New Friends

Astrid sat up quickly, her eyes flashing from the door to Hiccup. “What was that?”

“Not the North Tower door,” he confirmed. “I’ll go check, just go back to sleep.”

She nodded once and settled back down, as he phased through the door.

Astrid waited. Swallowing her fear, and keeping her eyes trained on the door. She prepared for Hiccup to return, or for whatever monster lied in the bowels of the North Tower, to burst forth.

Neither happened. Eventually, the comfort of the bed took her over again, and soon she was asleep.

In the morning, Astrid awoke to a buzzing sound. As she regained her senses, she found it was her phone on her bedside table. She snatched it, and silenced it’s insistent vibrating.

“Hi mom,” she answered.

“ _Hi honey! Did I wake you? I’m sorry._ ”

She rubbed her eyes, looking to her clock. “It’s okay, it’s 1 o’clock here, I needed to get up.” Astrid swung her legs out from under the comforter. Had last night all just been a dream? It had felt so real…Looking around her room, she saw no trace of the ghost. But all of her belongings had been put away. Her closet doors were ajar and her clothes hung in order of color inside. Even her Disney princess poster was hung on the back of the door.

“ _How’s the castle? Dusty?_ ”

“Yeah, a bit.” She slipped on her house slippers and headed down to the kitchen for some breakfast.

“ _Well, you just worry about getting all your stuff put away. When we come on Friday, we’ll bring all our rags and clean the whole place top to bottom. Do you have a washing machine?_ ”

Astrid walked through the lobby, noticing a definite change in the atmosphere, all of her boxes were gone and things looked immaculately clean. “Uh…yeah. I think there’s one in the West Tower.”

“ _Great! Then we can prep a few rooms for guests!_ ”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Astrid took the stairs in the lobby to the dining room, and then opened the swinging door to the kitchen. She was thankful to have relatively new stainless steel appliances and marble countertops. A much bigger refrigerator and freezer sat off to the side, currently powered down, waiting for big events. “Halloween is like a month away, and that’s one of the busy seasons around here. ” She went to the normal sized, personal fridge to open the door. “It’d be great if we were ready for business by then.”

Just then, Astrid heard a sizzling sound and turned sharply to see a frying pan suspended in mid air, with an egg within it.

“ _Yeah, I think that’s very doable._ ” Said her mother in the line. “ _I know your cousins were very excited to hear you took over the castle. They live over in Manchester, so don’t be surprised if they pop in._ ”

The toaster popped, and Astrid watched as the toast floated out and on to a plate. “Uhh...yeah, sure.”

“ _With your Uncle’s Health in the last few years, he wasn’t taking in any guests, and no one really got to see him, except when we came at Christmas last year._ ”

Astrid was barely listening to her mother as a jar of blackberry jam danced out of the refrigerator in front of her eyes. “Uh huh…”

“ _I’ve conned your aunt Matilda from Norwich into coming, and she’s bringing her three kids. The least amount of hired hands we need, the better._ ”

“Yeah, great.” She watched a butter knife go into the jar and spread the jam on the toast. Meanwhile, a cabinet opened and a plate floated over to the stove, and the scrambled eggs slid onto it. She took the cartoon of milk out, only for a glass to appear beside her.

“ _Your father is so excited about this trip. He’s been dying to know what’s in the North Tower his entire life_.”

“Oh okay, sure.” She said, taking a seat in the offered chair. “Wait wait wait, what did you just say?”

“ _I said your dad wants to explore the North Tower, Uncle Finn never let him in there_.”

Hiccup materialized in front of her, a smug look on his face, as he placed the eggs in front of her.

She mouthed, “Thank you,” to him. Then she responded to her mother. “No, absolutely not. No one is going in that tower, it’s way too dangerous. I went up last night, because I was curious too, and I’ll say Uncle Finn had a good reason for forbidding it.” She winked at Hiccup and turned on the speaker so he could listen too. Then she finally began to eat her eggs.

“ _Now Astrid, he’s your father. You can’t just boss him around_.”

“I can if it’s my castle. The floor and stairs are crumbling, and the lake has flooded the tower. If the floor gives out underneath you, and you fall in, the walls are too slick to pull yourself out from. And I think there’s barracuda in the water.”

“ _There’s no barracuda in Wales!_ ” Her mother shouted.

Hiccup was trying in vain to keep from laughing. Then he cleared his throat, “Yes, but there are weever fish in the water. They’re poisonous and can create paralysis. Not fun.”

Astrid stared at him, wide-eyed.

“ _Astrid, who’s that?_ ”

“Uh…”

“Hello Mrs. Hofferson. My name is Hiccup, and I’m one of the ghosts that haunt the castle.” He stated, matter of factly.

There was moment of silence before her mother let out a laugh. “ _You are just like your Uncle! Roping in the groundskeeper into pretending to be a ghost! He would do anything to convince us that the castle was hunted. I guess that’s a good thing, since that’s what brings in the money._ ”

Hiccup raised his eyebrows, in an ‘knew it’ look.

“ _Alright, well we’ll see you on Friday. You’re probably going to have to convince your father about the tower yourself, but I’m sure he’ll bug you about it relentlessly._ ”

“I can handle it.” She rolled her eyes. “Talk to you later, mom.”

“ _Bye Honey, love you!_ ”

“That was pretty risky. Don’t you think?” She asked, after she hung up.

“It’s really not that big of a deal if people know about me. Or the other 18 in the tower…it’s just the…you know.”

“The _others?_ ”

“Yes, precisely.”

She crossed her arms, wanting to ask about it. But she had also just moved in, and was having a hard enough time getting used to ghosts in her castle in the first place. Instead, she had another question to ask him. “Hiccup, I was wondering if—“

“OGA BOGA BOGA!” Three voices interrupted her with a scream.

“JESUS CHRIST ON A MOTORBIKE!” She screamed in response. In front of her materialized three more ghosts, two looked like twins, and the other was beefy and stout.

“Wow Hiccup,” said one of the twins, “you were right, that prank was much more satisfying.”

“This was your idea?!” She swung her arm out to hit him, but her fist just phased through him, disrupting his image.

He only shrugged, “hey, it’s better than the alternative.”

The stocky boy leaned forward on the table, a flirtatious look on his face. “Hi, name’s Snotlout. I’m the brains of this outfit.”

“No, he’s not.” Hiccup whispered.

“Shut up, Hiccup.”

The twins threw him out of the way. “Salutations, young Hofferson. I am Master Tuffnut, and this is my sister, the Lady Ruffnut.”

“Glad to make your acquaintance.” The female twin stated.

“Uh…likewise?”

“The noise you heard last night was just these guys goofing around.” Hiccup provided. “When you left the door open, they snuck out and were trashing the castle.”

Astrid turned up her nose. “What kind of benevolent ghosts are you?” Astrid questioned with a sneer. 

“The malevolent benevolent kind.” Tuffnut answered.

“But then I found them and made them clean up the house. I bribed them with being able to scare you in the morning.”

Astrid frowned. “If this is going to be a normal occurrence, I’m getting out of here immediately. I won’t even sell the house, I’ll just leave both doors open, and vacant.”

“ **DON’T DO THAT!** ” The four ghosts cried in unison.

“Oh why?” Taunted Astrid, “do I need to break a curse or something?”

That apparently was the wrong question to ask. Or right, if you’d like to think. The new, somewhat friendly ghosts disappeared in an instant, and she and Hiccup were left alone.

“What was that all about?”

He at least had the decency to excuse himself. “The door is still locked, so they couldn’t have gone far. But with what you and your mother were talking about, a lot of cleaning is to be done. I will see if I can rope them into it.”

“Would you like me to open The North Tower and see if we can get some others from the chapel to help?”

He looked away, shy. “Perhaps later.” Then, he too vanished.

Perturbed, but not dejected, Astrid quickly made her way to the library to read more about what her Uncle had uncovered in the Tower, since no ghosts would give her answers.

_June 19, 1945_

_The North Tower was exactly as I was expecting. Crumbling, dark, and damp. Though, the statue in the middle of the staircase surprised me. There is no imagery like it in the rest of the Castle._

_When I entered, I was greeted by the biggest man I’ve ever seen. He had a big red beard and wore a metal helmet, like a viking. He loomed over me, and I feared for my life. I was about to tell him he was impeding on my property, but what could I do about it? He asked me my name, and I gave it, looking him square in the eye. When I mentioned I was a Hofferson, he became much more pleasant. He provided that he was Stoick the Vast, the Chief of the Hooligan Tribe. I told him I didn’t understand. He led me to the top floor of the tower where the chapel once was. Seated at an assortment of different chairs and tables were a handful of viking warriors. They sat me down among them, between Gobber, a blacksmith, and Hiccup, the chief’s son._

_According to the chief, his tribe of 103 vikings came to raid the castle that was under Celtic rule. The Celtic druids defended themselves and trapped the tribe in the North Tower, the point of invasion. Two vikings, a married couple, were spared and allowed to wander outside the castle. This was the first Hofferson in the castle, and my great ancestor, 18 generations ago. Another viking went free, but Stoick refused to talk about him. 5 more were killed, but their spirits remain in the castle. The other 95 were to remain trapped within the castle, until Axel Hofferson was able to convince the druids in the town otherwise. Many years passed, and two generations. Axel Hofferson’s children inherited the castle. The Celts either died or left, the town now Anglo-Saxon territory, and left the castle in the care of the Hofferson’s. Meanwhile, the vikings in the Tower never aged. But time passed just as slowly. It seems they don’t know how to leave either. I will do more research on these druids, and maybe I can help these vikings. For now, they have welcomed me to their ranks and have dubbed me Fearless Finn, since I was able to look Stoick in the eye. I am the youngest Hofferson to be Lord of the castle, and they have high hopes for me._

_-Finn._

Astrid looked up to the portrait hanging on the wall of the chief, wishing she had met him, longing to know what could have happened to him. She turned back to the journal.

_June 25, 1945_

_I visited the library today, and found as many books as I could on druids. The castle had more than I had expected, some from my father’s years, and many much older. It appears research on this matter has continued in my family. I will keep another journal dedicated to my research. From what I gather, the Druids were scholarly intellectuals. They were the Judges, Teachers, and Priests of their clans…but at this period in history, the Celts were pagans and practiced forms of witchcraft. I do believe that my viking friends are under a curse or enchantment. How wonderful would it be if I was the one to free them?_

_For now, I will continue my research in the red journal._

_-Finn_

Sure enough, on the shelf where this journal was found, a red one sat in the spot next to it.

Astrid decided to continue in this journal instead.

_July 7, 1945_

_How foolish I have been. I left the door to the North Tower unlocked, and have released a great evil upon my guests. A young orphan, no more than 6 years of age, has told me that every night when she goes to bed, she sees a strange woman watching her from the corner of the room. Another young woman said she went to the library and saw Skeletons leaning against the rails in the East Tower. Rumors have begun to grow about specters in my castle and my guests are leaving. Though I received no money from them, I feel personally responsible for their misfortune. Surely living in a haunted castle would be better than out on the streets. I rectified this situation. I told Stoick the problem, and he understood, though there was a great sadness in him. He and his son swept through the castle, rounded up all the specters, and ushered them back into the North Tower._

_I understand that their sadness is attributed to being locked in the tower for hundreds of years. I took it upon myself to bring them decks of cards, chess, and checkers to entertain themselves. They seemed to appreciate it, but I doubt it’s any consolation. I must do what it takes to set them free._

_-Finn_

Astrid wondered if letting the ghosts in the chapel out to run free in the castle was a good idea. Hiccup said there was 19, but that’s still too many heads to keep track of. Maybe when she became better acquainted with them. She went onto the next entry.

_August 20, 1945_

_My plans to attend Cambridge University have not been deterred. Mother was quite concerned when I wrote that I was changing majors from Art to Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic History. Rightly so, I had never had any interest in it before I met Stoick and his tribe. But I truly believe getting my degree in this area will help in cracking the case of the North Tower. If for any other reason, I’d like to restore the castle to what it looked like in it’s peak. Whenever that was. I have a lot of work to do._

_Thankfully, Cambridge is only four hours away by car, and I will be able to check in with the castle often. Two families that have been staying here since my father owned the house, are now paying rent because they are able to do so. With the funds of £50 a month, I have left a long time guest, Eret Eretson in charge of taking care of the castle while I am gone. Though, the key to the North Tower will remain on a chain on my neck at all times. Hiccup warned about a dragon that lies in wake of visitors to the tower that are not of Hofferson blood. I wonder is he is just jesting with me, but at times I can’t tell._

_I will miss him the most while I am gone. He is a little older than I am, relatively speaking. He is much more relaxed than Stoick, and there’s something about him that’s much different than the rest of the Vikings. Restlessness, I suppose, more than any of the others. I’m surprised the tower hasn’t driven him mad yet. I have imagined, on more than one occasion, the look on his face when he is able to walk through the woods on a brisk fall day. How long has it been since he’s breathed fresh air?_

_Within the next five years, I surmise he’ll be able to do so once again._

_-Finn_

And yet, here they were. 70 years in the future, and Hiccup was still just a specter.

Astrid glanced up and saw Hiccup holding another journal from the shelf.

“When were you going to tell me about that raid that your tribe made? Or that there’s like 80 more ghosts in the castle?”

Hiccup wordlessly closed the journal and then sat on the settee with her. She expected a simple answer, but Hiccup was not a simple man. “For the last 20 years, I have known you.”

Her eyes widened.

“Your uncle told me stories about you, and when you only a child, he decided he was going to leave the castle to you. He asked us not to tell you about the raid, because he didn’t want you to feel shame.”

“Shame? Oh! That must be the ‘disturbing truths’ he was talking about. That my ancestors were responsible for plundering and murdering a group of people in their own home.” She shrugged, “other’s ancestors have done worse.”

“We didn’t murder anyone.” He corrected. “We were told, by a man from another tribe, that this castle was abandoned and only thieves and murders lived here with their plunder. We had no idea what was really going on. This man’s tribe had convinced several other tribes the same thing, and we all left our families and homes to seek our fortune.”

He turned away from her, guilt still heavily laden on his mind. “We scared the Celts out of their home, and set to take control of the castle…only then was it made known that these were innocent people, just living their lives. Only three of us were spared. The rest of us have been paying for the last thousand years.”

“How do I break the curse? How do I set you all free?”

“I truly do not know. I surmise that your Uncle’s journals will hold some ideas.”

She nodded. “Because of my Uncle, I was inspired to get my degree in Ancient History. I know between you, me, and the journals, we can figure this out together.”

He smiled widely and earnestly. “Thank you.” Then he considered a moment, “if we want to have the time to do this, maybe we should get some help from my friends to clean the castle, and prepare for your family in a few days.”

She groaned, “I don’t actually want them all to come.”

“Why not?”

“I’m worried about someone trying to snoop in the North Tower. My cousins are actually really big trouble makers. I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew how to lock pick and get in the tower.”

He thought for a moment, “are they Hofferson’s?”

“Their mom is.”

“But their last name isn’t?”

“No, it’s Davies.”

He shrugged, “Then there shouldn’t be any reason to worry. Do you have the keys on you?”

“Uh, yeah? I never go anywhere without them.”

He beckoned her to follow him and together they went to the North Tower hallway. “This hall is protected, and if anyone not of direct Hofferson descent tries to enter, the Night Fury will scare them away.”

“Night Fury?”

As if summoned, a black shadow moved passed the window. As Astrid leaned out to get a better look, she heard a gruff snort behind her.

Turning around, she came face to face with an ebony stony creature with emerald eyes. It only stared, and looked pleasant. Though, its size and nature still made her nervous.

“This thing isn’t going to scare them,” she said honestly. “He looks too friendly.”

The statue bared it’s teeth and growled.

Astrid flinched away. “Yep that’ll work.” 

“This is Toothless,” Hiccup provided, scratching the creature’s side. “He was once my dragon. We flew from island to island discovering what we could. When we came here to raid, my father had him head the ship to frighten sea-serpents. When we were cursed, Toothless was turned into a gargoyle, frozen in stone. But then, about 200 years later, the town came under attack of the Normans, and Toothless woke up and fought them off. Then went back to sleep when peace came. It was about 100 years after that he woke up again, when their was a burglar in the castle. Then he would sleep from anywhere to a few days to a few years. But now, he’s pretty much always awake.”

“You don’t think it has to do with Non-Hofferson’s always being in castle, do you? Like my Uncle’s guests and the groundskeeper?”

“I think that is exactly what’s happening. Which I am grateful for.”

Astrid held her hand out, and the stone dragon rubbed his nose against her. She smiled, “I like him. But I don’t know if I want this to be plan A. It’s rumored the castle as ghosts, not a dragon.”

“Easy, we get Ruffnut and Tuffnut to stand guard in the East Tower. They love scaring people, and will do whatever it takes to get a scream out of someone.” 

“OGA BOGA BOGA!” The twins screamed, leaning in from the broken windows.

“SWEET MOTHER MARY!” Astrid shouted in response. She took a shuttering breath, “Okay, I’m easy to startle. But you’ll have to do more than jump scares to actually scare these kids.”

“Like what?”

Astrid went and unlocked the tower door. “We’ll do some research together. We’ll watch some scary movies, as long as you promise not to use them on me.”

“Deal,” the two confirmed.

After the group came back inside the tower, Astrid locked the door behind her and they ascended into the Chapel.

The group seemed smaller. Gobber looked up when they entered, “there you are, Lad.”

“Sorry, we got locked out. How are things?”

“Three left last night.”

Hiccup’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean? The twins and Snotlout were with me outside if you were counting them.”

“No kiddo, Mulch, Spitelout, and Gustof all left to go to their rooms. They never came back.”

“No…” Hiccup looked around to the three more empty chairs added to the pile. “But we’ve never had more than one leave in the span of 10 years…and now four over two days? Why now? Is it me? Is it because my dad…?”

“No,” Gobber provided, standing. “It’s her.”

“Me?” Astrid pointed at herself. “What did I do?”

“Nothing that you could help,” Gobber provided. “It’s just…a Hofferson has to…do certain things. And if you get married and have children, those children will have their father’s name, and won’t be Hoffersons. If you then pass the castle onto them, then the castle falls.”

“Oh.”

“It seems they lost hope. And more will follow suit if you don’t figure something out soon.” Gobber spoke to Hiccup.

“Astrid already knows about the curse, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to break it. But we need your help prepping the castle for her family so we can work.”

Gobber grinned. “You mean she’s going to let us out?”

“Well, to some extent.” Astrid warned. “Please don’t trash the place.”

“No promises, lass.”


	4. New Duties

—

Like any good haunted house, the first night was the easiest. And if being chased from the North Tower by a gurgling screaming voice and seeing her new friend as a skeleton was considered easy, she was terrified by what would happen tonight.

After letting out the gaggle of ghosts from the chapel, Hiccup and Astrid returned to the library to continue reading the journals. After a while, the entries started to blend into one, as it became apparent that Finn was hitting several dead ends. There was talk of people showing interest in the house _because_ it was haunted. And she supposed that’s were the idea of renting the castle out came from.

Other than that though, the writings were very dry.

_December 8, 1946_

_With what I know about the castle’s architecture and what my ancestors have written in books, this castle wasn’t built by the druids at all, rather the Anglo-Saxons. If that’s true, then why were druids living here when the Vikings came? Druids were primarily found in nature, why would they take over a castle?_

The rest of the entry went on like this, though she wondered why he hadn’t put this information in the red book Hiccup was reading. Looking over to him, he was leaning heavily on one side while his eyes drooped. Apparently it wasn’t much better.

_January 17, 1947_

_I have been working on a research project involving Druids in Celtic society. I took a photograph the last time I was home of the statue in the North Tower for visual aid. My professor said my paper was good and solid, but the statue was not of a druid. Since druids are depicted with hoods and an oak staff, and my statue has no staff. This concerns me, since the Vikings said it was druids that trapped them there. If it’s not a druid, then what is it? Who is lying to me?_

Astrid yawned, looking away from the book.

“Are you tired?” Hiccup asked.

“Yeah,” she glanced at her phone. “It’s midnight, I should be.”

“You should go to bed, since you didn’t get to sleep well last night.”

She nodded easily, agreeing with him. “Will you come sit up with me?” She found herself asking. “Just because…well…you guys can phase through doors.”

“Oh of course,” he consented. He would have even without her explaining herself. He throughly enjoyed her company and decidedly didn’t want to part from her.

Astrid prepared for bed in the bathroom. Meanwhile, Hiccup picked up her phone and began to goof around on it.

“You’re snooping again,” Astrid stated, toweling her hair dry from her shower.

“I’m merely curious.”

“Can you even use a smart phone? You don’t have fingers. You shouldn’t know how to use one.”

He continued scrolling, undeterred. “Apparently your phone doesn’t care if my fingers aren’t solid. And I know how to use one because Eret showed me.”

“Eret? Oh, the groundskeeper. He knows about you?”

“Of course. His family has watched over this house for three generations now. Your Uncle hired his grandfather, and then his dad and now him. However, the North Tower is still a mystery to him.”

“As it should be.” She climbed into bed and pulled the comforter up to her chin. “Goodnight, Hiccup,” she stated with finality.

“Goodnight, Mistress Astrid.”

She might not have done as much work as she had the day before, but exhaustion still took her swiftly. The last images in her mind were of Hiccup looking at her phone, and then at her.

The Castle atmosphere had an immediate effect on her psyche and influenced her dreams. If she had read the journal a little further, she would have been warned. But for now, she’d find out the hard way. Her dreamscape was unfamiliar and eerie. There was infinite darkness on both sides and behind her, but in front, a full moon casted light among a line of figures. They stood staring up at the moon, and what was silhouetted against it. Up on a hill, a noose sat swinging slowly. Waiting.

It was then that she realized she was in the line heading towards it, that her hands were cuffed, and there was no escape. The chains clinked angrily with each marching step. Her throat felt tight. 

There had to be a hundred people in line. No, exactly 100. She didn’t like this. She didn’t want to be here. Why couldn’t see wake up? She just wanted to wake up!

“Hiccup! Come quickly!” A voice cut through her nightmare, as her eyes shot open.

Hiccup stood from his spot on her bed and hurried to the door.

Astrid got up quickly, wide awake and not eager to fall back into line. She snagged her robe from her closet and slipped on her house shoes.

In the stairs, she saw Hiccup and Gobber heading into the East Tower and followed after.

From the East Tower hall, she could hear a grow man screaming and sobbing. She followed the sound to the Ballroom.

In the middle of the floor, a viking was throwing quite a tantrum. A bucket on the floor was knocked over and water surrounded him in a puddle. If she remembered correctly, his name was Bucket, hence the bucket on his head.

“He just started screaming,” Gobber explained, “I don’t know what happened.”

Hiccup knelt nearby and put a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder. “Talk to me, Bucket. What’s wrong?”

The man choked on his breath and did what he could to calm down. “I don’t want to clean this floor anymore! I clean and I clean and then it’s dirty again! I know every groove in and every chip in the marble. I can’t stand it! I don’t want to do this anymore!”

“Well, you don’t have to clean the floor anymore. No one is making you do that. What would you rather do?”

“I don’t want to clean this damn castle!” He screamed. “Not anymore! I’m done! I can’t!”

Hiccup hushed him gently, rubbing his shoulder. “It’s okay, Bucket. Do you want to go play chess with me? Or we can read a book.” He suggested.

“I want to go with Mulch.”

The chief was quiet for a moment before saying, “well, Mulch isn’t here right now. He’s in the North Tower.”

“I’m tired! I want to go with Mulch.” Fat, non-existent tears rolled down his face, and disappeared before they hit the nice clean floor. “Mulch!”

Hiccup looked at Gobber, helpless.

Gobber only shrugged in return, a look of pain on his face.

“If you really want to go, Bucket, I’ll take you.” Hiccup promised. “We’ll go see Mulch, and if you don’t want to stay with him, you don’t have to.”

Bucket nodded, and stood.

It wasn’t until then that Hiccup realized that Astrid had followed. He spared a sad smile. “Do you have the keys with you?”

She held them up in her hand. “I never go anywhere without them.”

“Good, come with us.”

Astrid, Hiccup, and Bucket proceeded through the castle, back to the North Tower. Bucket sniffed heavily the whole way. Once in the East Tower, Hiccup and Bucket began to solidify, and they both took Astrid’s hands. Hiccup, to keep her safe, and Bucket, because he was scared.

Astrid slid open the lock on the door, and then stepped into the abandoned hall. “Should I stay in here? It is nighttime after all.”

Hiccup pondered for a moment, and then confessed, “I wanted to hide this from you, but I think it’s best if you knew what lies down there. And more importantly, where everyone is going to end up.” He took her hand again. “Hold onto my hand, and never let go. And don’t make a sound.”

Astrid nodded once, squeezing his hand, and unlocked the North Tower.

During the day, the Tower was quite nice. Sunlight filtered in through the broken stain glass windows at the top, like the sun peaking through clouds. The empty stone walls looked more like a cave then a cursed tower. But at night, it looked like a staircase to hell. There was no light but the faint red glow deep deep down. And the faint fading light of the moon from above.

The trio walked in silence down the winding stairs. Astrid tried to keep her steps as light at possible, lest anyone hear her. She held her breath and clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering.

As they walked, Astrid could make out the shapes of huge iron doors along the walls. Cell doors.

They were in the dungeon.

Hiccup tugged her along quickly past a door, training his eyes forward in determination. However, it seemed what ever he was trying to avoid saw him anyway, and the door creaked open behind them.

“Don’t turn around,” he whispered. “Keep very still.”

A voice, sickly and gurgling spoke up to him, “Hiccup…” it whispered.

He breathed quickly, not turning to face it. “Yes, Mildew.”

“Mortal’s are not allowed to pass.” It hissed, getting louder. Getting closer.

“I am aware. She is only helping me escort Bucket. She will ever be out of my sight.”

Astrid felt long spindly sticks wrap around her shoulder, and as she glanced down, she saw they were fingers. White, bony, sharp fingers. She clenched her eyes shut.

“And who is she that the gargoyle would allow in?” The voice spoke, right in her ear. A damp appendage swiped against her neck.

“She’s a Hofferson. The current Master of the Castle.”

A huff of rancid air caressed her nose, and she fought not to choke.

“My chief,” the monster spoke, beginning to retreat. “If what you say is true, I will allow her to pass. But I can not say the same for my brothers.” With that, the door creaked again, and shut softly.

Astrid looked over to Bucket, who was still holding her other hand. He was crying. “I don’t like him.” He shook his head in fear, “I don’t like him at all.”

She opened her mouth to comfort him, but then shut it again, remembering Hiccup’s warning. She only squeezed his hand in reassurance. They traveled another two floors down, and came to stop at another iron door.

Hiccup knocked gently, “Mulch? Are you in here?”

The door opened slowly, and inside stood a short stocky viking. The same one that dealt her a hand of cards the first night she met them in the chapel. He looked extremely tired and hopeless. And older, like he had aged ten years in two days. He beckoned them inside, wordlessly.

Hiccup closed the door behind them. “Hi Mulch, Bucket was getting lonely without you.”

“I was lonely too,” Mulch supplied. “After over a thousand years of helping him, I don’t really know what do to without him.”

Astrid looked around the modest room. The walls were dark stone, but a few personal items hung among them, like weapons and furs. As if they had tried to make their cells a little more like home. In the two far corners, two beds sat adjacent to each other. Mulch sat down on his.

Bucket took off his shoes and his bucket and dropped them on the floor. He lied down in his bed. “Hiccup?” He whispered.

“Yes, Bucket.”

“Can you and Astrid tuck me into bed like me mum and dad used to, when I was just a lad?”

Hiccup nodded sagely and pulled the blanket up to his chin. “Goodnight my boy,” he whispered. “Sleep tight.”

Astrid squeezed his hand warmly, then leaned over and kissed his forehead. “We love you.”

Bucket closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep.

Astrid looked over to Mulch, to see he was also curled up in his bed, his back to them.

Hiccup took her hand and led her out of the room. She looked at him expectantly, but he held a finger over his lips. As they walked, Astrid could hear quiet murmuring. They moved to another room and knocked.

“Gustof? Are you awake?”

“Go away,” said a young voice, half-hearted.

Hiccup ignored him and entered. “Close the door,” he whispered to Astrid.

“What do you want?” A teenage boy sat on his bed, his hands over his face.

“Just to talk,” Hiccup supplied. “I wasn’t there when you left. How are you feeling?”

Astrid shrunk into a corner, not knowing if she was supposed to intrude.

Gustof shuddered, his breathing harsh. “I’m scared. I’ve always been afraid, but I can’t hide it anymore. It’s too dark here. I hate the dark. I hate the silence.”

“Then why did you come down here? This is the darkest and quietest part of the castle.”

“Not always.”

It wasn’t until then that Astrid could hear the murmuring as a real voice. There was a loud clatter from the room next door, before shouting commenced. “ **Shame! Guilt!** You loved to see me like this. Damn you. _Damn you!_ I only did what was best. He’s here, he’s watching me. He knows my name. He knows my **NAME!** ”

Astrid pressed her back to the wall, cupping her hand over her mouth.

“Spitelout keeps things interesting.” Gustof provided, his hands still covering his face.

“Astrid opened the door to the North Tower, we’re all out in the castle. Don’t you want to come out with us?”

“She’s here, isn’t she?” The boy asked, “I can hear her heart beating.”

Hiccup beckoned her forward, and she knelt on the floor in front of the Gustof. “If you’re afraid, I can leave the TV on at night. You don’t need to be scared.” She whispered.

“I’m not a child,” he stated with malice. “Try being the youngest out of everyone you know for a thousand years. Never growing, never being able to join in on adult conversations. Let’s see how _you_ like it!” He hissed.

“She’s just trying to be helpful, Gustof. It’s alright.”

“I said, go away.” He lifted his head and showed his gruesome face. His bottom eye lids drooped low and bared his blood shot eyes. “GO AWAY!”

Astrid stood quickly, backing away.

“Alright Gustof, we’ll go.”

“GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!” He gripped his scalp and started screaming. “LEAVE ME ALOOONE!!”

Hiccup tugged Astrid out the door quickly.

From out here, they could hear Spitelout more clearly, “You did this to me, didn’t you? I can’t sleep. Where did you go? Snotlout? Snotlout! Where are you? My son! My son is dead!”

Hiccup pulled Astrid closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “It’s alright,” he whispered, “we’re leaving.”

She nodded, putting an arm around his waist in return.

Together, they climbed the stairs and headed back out into the hall. As Hiccup closed the door, Astrid pulled away from him, her eyes screwed shut in fear. “Is that what you mean then, when they ‘leave’…?”

“Yes…” Hiccup rested a hand on the now-locked door. “First they leave our company, then they lose their minds. You see, Astrid, even in this solid form, we can’t eat or drink, and sleep is impossible. And a thousand years without sleep…it’s being conscience of every second that goes by.”

“So, what Mulch and Bucket were doing…?”

“They were just pretending. If they can block out the world for a few hours, that’s better then sitting in solitude.” He came back over to her, and urged her away from the tower, “however, the silence can be maddening, and my father and I would do our best to convince them not to stay in their rooms. Most of them we are unable to save. And even the ones we saved would leave again not long after.”

“Then your father…” Astrid took one last look at the ancient black door, before Hiccup closed the hall door.

“Has also gone mad.” He stated this as a fact, and nothing more.

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright. I’ve been preparing for it.” He started up the stairs and into her room.

“How long ago?”

Hiccup sighed, “three days ago.”

She paused in her doorway. “What?”

“When I met you, I had just come back from trying to reason with him…but he had gotten violent.”

Astrid just stared at him, unable to say anything. Finally, she held her arms open at her sides.

In a few steps, he was upon her, his form phasing into her and leaving a pleasant warmth in her bones. “That must have been frightening.” He consoled.

“Terrifying. But thank you for taking me down there. I _will_ break the curse. Somehow. I promise.”

Hiccup didn’t say anything, because he had been promised the same thing 19 times before.


	5. New Enemies

After staring at books for the last three days, Astrid decided she needed a break. She took the time to do things that are a necessity for a millennial who works from home to do that a ghost from the 1st century wouldn’t know how to do.

Set up technology. The cable went up fairly simple, considering that Finn had cable at one point. But she would have to have a man from the cable company set up the internet. The castle gravely needed wifi, an essential in this era. Especially if Astrid wanted those 5 star reviews. And she wanted them badly. More good reviews, more guests, more money. It was a healthy cycle.

She turned on the flat screen TV in the main room to a game of rugby. She didn’t particularly like the sport, but it was the closest thing to American Football there was here. She supposed she’d get used to it.

When she turned around, couch was occupied by several ghosts, all entranced by the screen.

She was almost startled.

Gobber looked at her with a gleam in his eye. “Finn had a television, but not one as glorious as this.”

“I wouldn’t think so. This is state of the art.” She patted the side of the screen. It stood on top of a wooden bureau, as wires peaked out the sides. Hopefully when the cable guy came, maybe he’d make it look nicer.

The front doorknob jiggled. The ghosts in the room turned invisible.

A tall man, with broad shoulders and an even broader chin stepped in, and suddenly made eye contact with Astrid. “You must be Finn’s niece.” He said with a smile.

“I am,” she replied. “And you are?”

A specter rushed passed her and threw a pair of ghostly arms around him. “Eret! My love!” Cried Ruffnut.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” He said, somewhat resigned. He looked back at Astrid, “Eret, the groundskeeper.”

Astrid grinned, “I guess you’re acquainted with the…permanent guests of the house.”

Ruffnut climbed over Eret and clung to his muscly back like a koala bear.

“Uh, yeah. I grew up here, with my dad and my grandfather. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I met the ghosts. The day of my 18th birthday, my dad sat me down and said, ‘Son, now that you’re a man, you have to know the great secret of the castle.’ And before he could say anything else, Ruffnut leapt on me from out of nowhere, and has haunted me ever since. This vacation was my chance to get away.”

“Why did you leave me for so long!?” Ruffnut moaned, “It wasn’t the same without you!!”

Eret shrugged. “I have to get out and about sometimes.”

“What about me?!?!” She howled.

Astrid watched the exchange with a smile, glad to see that the ghosts had a little bit of human company. Hiccup appeared next to her. “The children that are raised here really have the raw end of the deal.” He spoke quietly.

“Why’s that?” Astrid watched as Eret fanned his arm through Ruff, like he was wafting a bad order away.

“The castle itself has an evil that persists even if the door is locked.”

“You mean nightmares?” She wondered allowed.

“So you’ve had them too?” He sighed. “I had hoped…that being in the same room as you, that knowing I was there, if that would make them go away. But I guess not.”

Eret finally walked outside, as Ruff stood with her arms reaching out for him. He was just getting another suitcase.

“There’s always something about the unknown in them. Like, last nights, I was on a slide, and I could hear a buzzsaw in the distance, but I couldn’t find where it was coming from.”

“Finn used to have them. As well as every Hofferson before him. It appears there’s no rest for the wicked.”

“Good thing I have NyQuil.” Astrid laughed emptily. “What’s some bad nightmares, anyway?”

“There’s more than just nightmares though, there’s also—“

“Hey Astrid!” Eret called, “did you need to get any groceries? The Tesco’s like 20 minutes from here, if you wanted to come with.”

“Hold that thought, Hiccup.” She smiled, “yeah! I do. My parents are coming tomorrow. They’re going to help me prepare for guests. Although, they were going to help clean, but as you can see, I got plenty of help in that regard.”

Eret nodded. “How do you think Finn did it without any hired help?”

Astrid raised an eyebrow. Really, besides Eret who did work _outside_ , she couldn’t remember anyone working in the castle during the several times she visited as a child. “I guess I never really thought about it.”

“Well, now you know.”

Astrid glanced over to the ghosts all piled up on the couch. “Alright Hiccup, you’re in charge until we get back. Is there anything you want from the store? I know you can’t eat or drink anything…”

Hiccup’s eyes widened slightly, before he smiled. “No, thank you, Astrid. I’m fine.”

Eret rested his suitcases by the East Tower entrance. “Now Ruff, don’t go snooping through my stuff while I’m gone.” He reprimanded, like she was a dog.

“Oh, of course not.” She assured. “Why would I do that?” Her glance darted over to the suitcase and back to him with a smile.

Eret shook his head then looked at Astrid, “Ready?”

She prepared the affirmative, but then stopped with realization. “The internet guy!” She almost shouted.

“What about him?”

“He’s coming in like an hour, I have to be here for him…can you wait to go? Oh, what time does the store close?” Looking at her phone, she found it was 3 o’clock.

“It closes at 6.” Provided Eret.

“Crap…”

Hiccup came up beside her. “Don’t worry about it, we’ll take care of him. Go get the groceries.”

“What do you mean, you’ll take care of him…?”

“I’ll make sure he gets let in and finds everything he needs.”

Astrid looked at him skeptically. “Fine, but don’t do anything that would put my business in jeopardy before it even opens.”

“Oh of course, Milady.” 

—

The ride into town was pleasant and quiet. Navigating the winding roads of the town was still new to Astrid, and she allowed her new friend to drive.

“So, how do you like the castle?” He asked, as they headed into town.

“It’s nice,” she said amicably, “big. Very fancy. Mysterious.”

“Yep, I’ve lived there my whole life, and there’s just so much I don’t understand myself.”

“Have you ever been to the North Tower?” It was a stupid question.

“I met Toothless once in my life, if that’s what you meant. He was waiting for me as soon as I opened the door.”

“And you didn’t run screaming?”

“I never said that,” he laughed. “That was…terrifying. To be sure. What about you? I’m assuming you did, since the gang was out and about. Last I knew, Finn had locked them all away.”

“The first night I was here, I saw a light on in the tower, and wondered if it was an intruder. Turns out it was just a bunch of really really old men playing Rummy.”

Eret snorted. “Must have been scary.” 

“I…don’t know. I don’t remember that night all that well. It was only a few days ago, but some of details were fuzzy.”

“Probably from shock.”

“Probably.” She agreed. “I didn’t really accept that the castle was haunted until the next day…I still don’t know. Like, Hiccup and Gobber and the others…they act so normal. They just look…transparent. In every ghost movie I’ve seen, the ghosts are invisible and they’re stacking chairs and stuff. Not…helping you clean to make room for guests.”

“What did you think of Stoick?”

“Never met him. Hiccup said he left a few days ago.”

Eret was quiet before uttering a gentle, “oh.”

“Yeah.”

“How many are left? Do you know?”

“Um…I think I met most of them. So, Hiccup and Gobber, Fishlegs, Ruff and Tuff and Snotlout. That’s six.” She counted on her hand. “Gothi, Agnar, uh…Gust, Cleftjaw, Gunnar, Silent Sven…that’s 12.”

“Spitelout?”

“Nope, he’s gone.”

“Uh…Jorgen? Lars?”

“That’s 14.”

“Oh, Bucket and Mulch!”

“Both gone.”

Eret gave her sad sideways glance. “Really?”

“Hmm…” She hummed. “And Magnus. I think that’s it.”

“Only 15 left?”

“Well, there was 19 when I moved in.” She winced, “to be fair, I’m mixing a lot of them up in my head.”

“It’s okay. You’ll figure it out eventually.”

Astrid shifted in his truck uncomfortably. He was still a stranger, and a man at that. This situation should rightfully make her squirm, just a little.

“What’s it like?” He finally asked.

“What?”

“The North Tower. Finn…never talked to me about it. No matter how much I asked. He just said I was a child and what was in there was not for children. You don’t need to tell me every detail…I’m just curious.”

“I’m sure you would be…” She assessed. “Well, it’s kind of like…if you took the West or East Towers, and stripped them bare and let them stagnate for a thousand years.”

Eret huffed. “That’s a vivid picture.”

“But the bottom level goes really… _really_ far down.”

He looked sideways at her. “What’s down there?”

“No idea. I went down a few floors with Hiccup, when Bucket left…but that’s as far as I got. Honestly, I never want to go anywhere near there again.”

“Why? Was it just sad?”

“Sad and…I don’t know. I felt like I was being watched.” She carefully left out the part about the figure with the long bony fingers.

Eret made a sound like ‘yech’ deep in his throat. “Well, that solves my curiosity.”

“Really? Just a few words from me, and that’s it?”

“I mean, I still wonder what’s deep deep down…but if the water level from the lake is anything to go by, it’s probably like the Berkley Pit down there.”

“The what?”

“You know, The Berkley Pit? The armpit of America?”

“The armpit of America is New Jersey.” She corrected.

“I guess you would know,” he chuckled. “You’re from the US, right? Or is that not an American accent?”

“I’m from Michigan, by Chicago. What’s this pit?”

“Oh, it’s a _pit_. In Butte Montana. It used to be an old copper mine, but it flooded and now the water is black and so toxic that anything that touches it instantly dies.”

“Ew gross. I think that’s more like the butthole of America.”

“Butthole in Butte.” He chuckled.

“How do you know about that? Since, well I wouldn’t take you for an American tourist.”

He grinned at her. “I’m a landscaper. I study the pH balance of soil for fun.”

“Weird.”

“And you rent out your Uncle’s haunted castle for fun. We all have our kicks.”

“I don’t do it for fun!” Astrid argued back. “It’s my lively hood!” She crossed her arms. “I study the history of the ghosts for fun.”

“I rest my case.”

—

Back at the castle, a rotund man in a large white van pulled up the drive. He looked at the castle in excitement. Rumors were that the building was haunted, and he had never serviced a haunted house before. He knocked on the door, “Spectrum Internet!” he called.

It was a moment before the big door unlatched and creaked open. No one was there.

“Hello…?” He called out. “My name’s Ioan, I’m here to set up your box?” He took a few steps inside. “Astrid Hofferson? You called this morning?”

The door suddenly slammed shut and locked behind him.

He gulped heavily, definitely considering the possibility of these so called ghosts.

A clanking sound made it’s way to him from under the stairs in front of him. It got louder and louder until a suit of armor was marching towards him.

Poor Ioan dropped his toolbox in fear, and stood frozen in place, his knees knocking together.

“You’re the internet guy?” The armor spoke, his voice echoing with a hallow ring.

“Uh yes, sir.” Ioan nodded.

“Great!” The armor clapped with a clink. “What do you need from me?”

“Uh…there should be a place where the cable connects to the outside, it’s called a drop spot. Do you know where it is?”

“It’s probably in the library, come with me.”

So poor, terrified, confused Ioan followed the suit of armor into the East Tower and down the stairs. In the south corner, there was a cable line hooked up to a splitter.

“Uh, thanks…” said Ioan, as he got to work. “Where do you want the modem? In here?”

“The closer we can get to the South Tower would be the most beneficial, I think.”

Ioan scratched his head. “Well, I could do that, but these walls are solid stone. You’d have to get a contractor in here to drill a hole to run the line.”

“If I got someone to drill the hole right now, could you run it?”

Ioan looked at him like he was crazy. “I…guess.”

“Okay, give me just a second. You do what you can right now.”

And the suit of armor left the room, clanking all the way.

“I need a vacation…” Ioan whispered to himself. 

—

The shopping trip had proved to be a good bonding experience for Astrid and Eret, and she was now relaxed at the prospect of sharing a tower with him.

Astrid quietly shamed herself. Here, she was nervous around a young professional male, while she had willingly fallen asleep twice in front of a male ghost. She should have been more comfortable around Eret, since he had _skin_.

But there was just something about Hiccup that set her mind at ease. His voice, maybe the way he spoke? Maybe the wisdom of a thousand years? Or maybe it simply was shock.

Either way, she now had two guys she could depend on in this strange new life. Not that she really needed them, but it was a nice idea.

When she and Eret returned, a police car, as well as an internet van, were sitting in the driveway.

“Oh no…” Astrid muttered to herself.

“Did you lock the door?” Eret whispered.

“I think so…I’m pretty sure…” Astrid jumped out of the truck quickly and hurried up to the door. Pulling on the handle, she found that it was still locked.

“Good afternoon.” A deep voice spoke from around the corner. A familiar face came around.

“You’re…the officer from the other night.”

“Viggo Ryker,” the man held out his hand. “Sorry for startling you.”

“Is everything alright?” She asked, nervously.

Eret, not bothered, had began bringing bags of groceries over and setting them by the door.

“Yes, I think so,” responded the policeman. “I was just coming to check on things. I wanted to make sure that home invader situation was handled.”

All her life, Astrid had trusted the police. Her uncle was a policeman back home, as well. But this man…he was not to be trusted. There was something about him…that just didn’t sit right in her gut.

“Oh yeah. My Uncle had a generator to that part of the castle. It’s a storage unit. There was a motion detector light up there. There must have been a mouse or something. It turned off not long after you left.”

The Officer Ryker didn’t look convinced. But he chose not to say anything. “Well, that’s good to know.” He took a notebook out of his pocket and started jotting down some information. “If there’s ever any sort of problem that requires someone to be escorted off the premises, please don’t hesitate to call this non-emergency number.” He handed her the piece of paper. “But of course, 999 is still appropriate for life threatening situations.”

“I—uh, thank you.” She responded.

Eret had finished bring the collection of food over, and waited to unlock the door.

“Have a nice day, Miss Hofferson.” He nodded with a tip of his cap. Then he wandered back to his squad car.

“Hmm…” she pulled out her phone as Eret watched him leave. “This number he gave me…”

“Yeah?”

“It’s not the emergency number that Mala gave me.”

Eret was quiet a moment. “Does it matter?”

Astrid considered, “It probably doesn’t. But, he rubbed me the wrong way.”

“Ditto, that’s why I didn’t unlock the door.”

“You are one smart cookie.”

Eret unlocked the door and stared ahead at the strangest sight he’d ever seen.

One normal portly man was poised on a latter, and screwed fasteners into the wooden molding around the ceiling. He was surrounded by three suits of armor, all helping him in various positions, either holding up the cable or the ladder.

“Oh, Astrid, Eret, you’re home!” Hiccup spoke from one of the suits. “Internet is almost up. We’re going to put a modem on the table right beneath the stairs.”

Eret covered his mouth with a fist, trying in vain to hold in his laughter. Astrid smiled, and shook her head. “I should have never doubted you when you said you had this covered.”

“Are you Miss Hofferson?” Ioan asked, coming down the ladder.

“Yep,” she smiled. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

“Oh it was no trouble at all! You’re staff here is so helpful! I wish I had help like this at all my jobs!”

“Well, we’re vacant right now, so they have nothing better to do.” Astrid laughed.

Ioan came a little closer. “You can be honest, are there actual people in the suits?”

Astrid laughed. “If you want to think so, go ahead.”

“Are you going to fasten this line or not? I’m not going to stand here all day!” Called Gobber, from another ladder.

—

At night, Astrid curled up in bed with her laptop, and made sure the Castle had a Facebook page. Tomorrow, she’d take pictures and make sure everything was ready to start taking reservations.

Hiccup floated in, and sat cross-legged by her feet. “Was that okay?”

“Hmmm?” She looked up at him.

“What we did with the armor? I know you don’t want us to be known to everyone…”

“I think it was fine. What do you think? Do you want people to know you?”

He was quiet for a while. “Hiding for a thousand years can make you want a lot of things.”

Astrid closed her computer and set it aside. “How old were you when you were cursed?”

“20.” He answered simply. “How old are you?”

“21. I was only asking because you look about my age. Well, when you’re in the North Tower, you do.”

He hummed slightly. “I’m glad I look human at least a little.”

“Yeah, now that I think about it, but is it that you have a body there, but not out in the castle?”

“I don’t,” he said simply. “The form I take in the tower is tangible, but it’s still not whole. If you wanted to, you could walk through me even in there.”

“Oh…I just assumed…”

“It’s alright. Looks can be deceiving.” He shrugged.

“Are you always this chummy with the Hofferson’s, or am I special?”

He leaned back on his arms, considering. “At first, when this whole thing happened, I was pretty upset. I spent that first lifetime by myself…really, I was the first one to leave.”

Her eyes widened.

“My whole outlook on life was my freedom. Growing up, I was the smallest in the tribe and I would do anything to belong. After I lost my leg, I came to realize that I would always be different, and there was nothing I could do about it. So I embraced it. Then I came to realize that I had a chiefly duty to my people, so I tried to balance my solitary life and helping the tribe.”

“It must have been suffocating.” She sighed.

“It still is. There’s days where I wander through the North Tower just to get away. But it’s never enough.” He met her eyes and then blushed, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to just unload that on you.”

“It’s alright,” she assured. “But the question still stands, do you treat all the Castle Masters like this?”

He smirked. “Not usually this close. I just think you’re cute.”

Astrid burned red. “I—I that is, I’m flattered…”

He chuckled. “Sorry, we are kind of blunt. Viking trait.”

She shook her head. “I’m just not used to be called cute.”

He leaned forward, toward her. “What? Do you not have a boyfriend?”

“Nah, I had a few dates in college, but no one I really connected with.”

“Oh.” He bored his big green eyes into hers. “Do you connect with me?”

She smirked back. “Sure. But don’t get too used to the idea. We walk very different paths of lives.”

“You mean I’m dead and you aren’t?” The way he said it held much contempt, and lacked his usual teasing tone.

“Yeah, that.” She simpered. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“You didn’t.” He assured. “It’s just something I’ve had to come to terms with.” Then he smiled, genuinely. “I do like you though. I’d like to get to know you more. Maybe you are the one that’ll break the curse.”

Astrid reached out, and overlapped his hand with hers. “I certainly hope so.”


	6. New Problems

It was late, and she should be asleep. The next day was a busy day with her family. But the room was so stifling, she couldn’t bare it. The castle itself had been cold since her arrival, so cold at night that it hurt.

So cold, that a slight numbness had settled into her bones.

Astrid tossed off her blankets, frustrated. She looked over to where Hiccup was, only to find that he wasn’t there anymore. He had left some hours earlier, but she had been dozing at the time. For now, she just laid in her underwear on the mattress.

The room only grew hotter.

She sat up, contemplating on getting some water from all the way over in the South Tower, when the slightest movement in the corner of the room caught her eye.

There was a small fire in the fireplace.

She hadn’t lit it, and she didn’t recall Hiccup starting it either. To her knowledge, there hadn’t been any wood in that fireplace in the first place. She stood, and tiptoed over to the fire.

Sure enough, there was no wood or even any ash in the hearth. A few slots were carved into the floor, and the flames were peeking through them, from another floor.

This thought terrified her as she left the room in a hurry. The stairs in the hall were hot too. The smell of smoke suffocated her. 

“Hiccup!” Astrid called for him. If the castle was on fire, why had no one bothered to wake her? “Hiccup!”

She hurried across the hall and opened the door to Eret’s room. He looked at her blearily, as she had been shouting in the hall. “What’s all the hubbub?”

“There’s a fire!” She shouted at him.

He was instantly awake. “Where?”

“Downstairs! Look!” She pointed at the fireplace in the corner, where flames were peaking up. Eret furrowed his brows. “Can’t you smell the smoke?”

“I don’t see or smell anything.” He waved her off.

“But Eret! The castle is so hot! It’s never been like this before!”

“I’m freezing,” he argued, pulling his covers back up. “Nice knickers.”

Astrid tugged the hem of her shirt down. “Be serious!”

“I am serious!” Eret replied, obviously going back to sleep. “There’s nothing wrong. The Vikings would have warned us. Just go back to bed.”

“Fine!” She nearly shouted. “See if I ever try to save your life again!”

She slammed his door and hurried down the stairs. She was heading toward the South Tower, but as she passed the door to the North Tower, she heard sounds.

Screaming. It was faint, but none the less, there.

Scared, but curious, Astrid unlocked the first door to the abandoned hallway.

This room was even hotter. Sweat built up like a bucket of water had been dumped on her.

Astrid slowly crept closer, noting the red glow that shone from the cracks of the Black Door. The echoing screaming persisted, despite how faint it was.

Then came the breathing.

It was harsh, labored, and deep. Unlike any man of this world or the next. Air rushed about, and the shirt she wore rustled slightly. Still, Astrid stepped closer.

The door itself swelled. The wood groaning and bending beneath the strain of heavy breathing.

Astrid reached for the key she kept around her neck.

“Don’t.” Said a soft voice.

Astrid turned, finding Hiccup standing in the doorway, in his ghastly skeletal form. “Come away.” He whispered.

“But—“ she pointed at the door.

“Come away.” He urged again.

“What about the fire? Hiccup, what’s going on?”

“Never you mind, come away.” This he beckoned with his hand, begging her to listen.

She did, at last. Coming back to him.

But as soon as she was about to touch him, the heat from behind her increased tenfold, burning her back.

She pitched forward and fell into the stairway. She glanced back, and noted a figure made of fire, standing at the other end of the hall.

He looked strikingly like her uncle Finn.

It spoke in a terrible and hollow voice, “You will end in flames.”

Then, all at once, the heat disappeared, and Astrid was left shivering once again.

“Are you alright?” Hiccup asked. She could tell he was touching her back in comfort, with the warmth that accompanied him tracing her shoulder blade.

“I’m...I’m fine.” She spoke, not feeling it.

“That was…strange.” He said, sincerely. “I’ll do some research about that later. Why don’t you go back to bed? I’ll sit with you.”

“That’s alright...I’m fine.” She stood. “What was that?”

Hiccup was quiet as he pushed the door to the Tower closed. “I…don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” She shivered, holding herself.

“No…I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

Slowly, she started making her way to her bathroom. “I think I got burned, my back stings.”

Hiccup followed after, concerned.

“I can take care of this.” She stated over her shoulder. Then, she hurried back to her room, trying to avoid looking at him. She closed the door, and leaned against it. Hiccup could walk through it, this she knew, but for a while, she wanted to shut out all of the supernatural phenomena.

With her back still pressed against the wood, she panted.

Now she wasn’t sure who to trust.

—

Astrid put her coat on. “Alright Hiccup, Eret and I will be back in a few hours.”

The specter in mention stood beside her. “I’ll make sure everything is in order for your return.”

“Remember, it’s my mom and dad coming, and my aunt Eloise is coming from Manchester with her husband and her three sons…and the two girlfriends of the sons.”

“So that’s how many people?”

“Nine? Yeah, nine.”

“I’ll make sure the dining room table is set.”

Gobber interrupted, gleefully. “And I’ll make sure my chili is nice and ready!”

“Thanks guys, you’re really helping me out.”

“Well, you know how to return the favor,” Gobber spoke, smugly.

Hiccup elbowed him in the gut.

“Are the twins guarding the North Tower?” She asked.

“They will be, once our guests arrive.”

She nodded in thanks. “Alright, we’ll see you later.”

“Um…” he halted. “Astrid?”

“Yeah?”

“Is it okay if we do the suit of armor thing again? I just know that some of the others want a chance to socialize with new people…”

Astrid considered it a moment. “You know, why not? This castle is part of our family history. They should know the truth of it. And besides! If we all put our heads together, we’ll figure out the curse!”

Hiccup grinned. “Wonderful!”

“But…we should take it slow. So definitely wear the armor. And when the time is right, we’ll tell the truth.”

Hiccup grinned, obviously happy with this development.

Astrid was at the door, as Eret was waiting patiently. “Now remember, my aunt Eloise is coming too, and they might beat us here.”

“I know, Astrid,” he spoke patiently. “We will make sure they’re welcome, don’t worry.” He promised.

With a final sigh, she left the castle.

—

It was an hour drive to the airport, and Eret tended to be a quiet man. He had his music playing, while Astrid read further in the journal.

_March 15, 1948_

_I’ve picked up on a heart-breaking trend. Some of the vikings were married when they left their tribe, and now have dealt with the death of their spouses for several years. I can’t imagine dying, and waiting to be united with your husband you thought was dead, only to find out they aren’t dead yet. How cruel of a thought. In this regard, many of the men have grown frightfully attached to some of the guests. The word love has even been tossed around. Hiccup told me that this has happened for centuries. That someone living in the castle would catch the eye of a specter and they would haunt them for the rest of their lives._

_Sadly, most deaths of these lovers result in the insanity of viking. How agonizing it must be to fall in love, but watch as your partner grows old without you, and then you must come to terms that they will die, and you’ll never see them again. The more I think of this curse, the more sick I feel. Who knew the cost of immortality would be so high?_

_There are 26 vikings left in the castle, and I must make sure no more leave._

Astrid sniffed as she read the entry, feeling the heartache in her soul for her friends.

“Hey, you okay?” Eret asked.

“I’m fine. I’m just reading Finn’s journal on the ghosts.” She considered a thought for a moment, watching him. “How do you feel about Ruffnut?”

He shrugged, noncommittally. “She’s alright. Mostly clingy, but to be honest…and you CAN’T tell her I said this…”

Astrid gestured like she was zipping her lips.

“I missed her when I was on vacation. She’s just…always been there.” He glanced away from the road for a moment. “Why do you ask?”

Astrid didn’t know if she wanted to say it out loud. “I was just curious. That’s all.”

—

It was like she had left behind the ancient world she had become accustomed to. Stone façades turned to glass and metal. Liverpool was a bustling city, moving far too fast for Astrid’s tastes. She was just glad that Eret was driving, since she still hadn’t gotten used to driving on the other side of the road.

They pulled into the loading zone at the airport.

A tall skinny man and a sweet chubby woman waited patiently outside, glancing up and down the street looking for their daughter.

Once Eret’s truck was parked, Astrid was exiting and hurrying to them. “Mom! Papa!”

“There she is!” Exclaimed Axel Hofferson with a smile, before embracing her.

“Where you waiting long?” She asked.

“About twenty minutes,” answered Phillis Hofferson. “Which isn’t bad at all. We made good time.”

“Great travel weather,” assessed Axel.

Eret approached the group with a smile.

“Oh, parents, this my groundskeeper, and lately personal chauffeur, Eret Eretson the Third. Eret, these are my parents, Axel and Phillis Hofferson.”

Axel held out his hand for a shake. “I think we met the last time we were in town. I knew your father fairly well.”

“I remember,” Said Eret, “it’s nice to see you again.”

Axel then picked up his luggage, “well, let’s get a move on. At this rate, John and Eloise are going to beat us to the castle.”

Eret took up the other suitcase with ease, and they departed.

—

The ride back was a bit crazy. The back seat of the truck was cramped, but Astrid and her mother got along well enough back there.

“So, how’s the castle? Get any more cleaning done?” Asked Phillis.

“Yes, actually! Quite a bit!” She worked up a story quickly. “I actually have a staff already, and they are dutiful to make sure everything is pristine.”

“Where did you get a staff? Do you even have the money for that right now?”

Eret replied easily and vaguely, “they come with the castle.”

Astrid was quick to continue before questions could be asked. “We made up several rooms in the South Tower, so after dinner, you guys can rest.”

“Oh but I can’t go to bed without seeing the North Tower!” Said Axel, “It’s all that I’ve been able to think about!”

“He’s hasn’t slept in the last two days because he’s been so excited.” Phillis added, with a grumble.

Astrid winced. “Well dad, I hate to disappoint you, but it’s really dangerous in there. I wouldn’t be comfortable with you going anywhere near the place.”

“Oh come on Astrid,” he taunted, resting and arm around the back of the seat. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Astrid looked at him seriously. “You could die.”

“Ah, you should have more faith in your old man!”

“Astrid’s right,” Eret interjected. “I haven’t gone in there, and neither did my father or my grandfather, because Finn was so adamant about it.”

“Alright alright…” Axel sighed, unconvincingly. “I guess I won’t.”

Astrid pinned him with a look. “I’m serious dad. That door is staying locked.”

“Okay! I get it!” With a huff, he turned around in his seat and crossed his arms like a moody teenager.

Astrid shook her head.

—

When they returned to the castle, a station wagon was parked in the drive.

“Looks like they beat us,” Said Axel.

Astrid hurried from the truck as Eret carried the luggage. Inside, her aunt, uncle, and cousins milled about. Several suitcases sat on the floor, but they were swiftly being taken care of by armored men. Another man returned from the kitchen with a platter of various drinks. He glanced up, the helmet concealing his glowing eyes.

“Welcome back, Mistress Astrid.” Said Hiccup.

“Ah, thank you.” She returned. “Thank you for taking care of my guests.”

Aunt Eloise sided up to her, a glass of wine in hand. “Astrid! You’ve got this place sparkling! I haven’t seen this place look so wonderful in over ten years!”

“Really?” Astrid asked with confusion.

“Yes!” She gestured with a flourish. “Everything looks fantastic! And your staff is so…so amazing! Finn used to have hired hands wear those armor costumes too, to go along with the whole ‘haunted castle’ shtick.”

Astrid looked over to Hiccup knowingly. His secret had come out.

“Uh yeah,” she stated. “Most of the staff used to work for Finn a while back. He still had their information. I called them up to see if they wanted to come back.”

She greeted the rest of the family with hugs and well wishes.

From somewhere deep within the castle, a gong sounded.

“Dinner is served,” Hiccup stated with a flourish. He ushered everyone up the double stairs into the dinning hall.

Astrid paused by him and spoke softly. “You guys really know what you’re doing.”

He smiled, but she didn’t see it. “The Hofferson family throws a lot of parties. We’ve had a lot of practice.”

Inside the dining hall, the long table was heaped with ornate dishes and bursting floral decorations. Two candelabras sat on the table, as well as several lining the walls. Mahogany cornices and moldings traced the walls, creating frames for the paintings of passed Hofferson’s and swatches of damask wallpaper. A fireplace sat behind the head of the table.

Astrid hadn’t gone into the dining room since moving in, but she was very impressed with the atmosphere. She overheard one of her cousins’ girlfriends say, “I feel like I’m in a Disney movie!”

Hiccup had walked to stand at the head of the table, and pulled out her chair. “Mistress Astrid?”

“Then I must be the Princess,” she said to herself.

—

After dinner and desert, Hiccup and the other ‘staff’ excused themselves to prepare for the after dinner entertainment. Astrid invited her family through the castle in a quick tour, since most of them were acquainted with it before she was even born. She led them back down the staircase and into the lobby.

Putting on her best curator voice, she began. “You’ve already seen this room, which is the Great Hall, or the Lobby. If you go back up the stairs to the dining room, you’ll see that there are two bordering halls that lead to the guest rooms.” She pointed to the bordering walls, where two balconies were housed. “These are your rooms, and the guest rooms that will be rented out.”

A girlfriend had her phone out, taking pictures.

“That door,” she pointed to the right, “is to the East tower, and that one,” she pointed to the left. “Is to the West. The library and my room are in the East. The servant’s quarters are in the West.”

She vaguely watched her father head towards the East Tower, probably to use the bathroom.

“What about the North Tower?” Another girlfriend asked, innocently.

Astrid answered honestly, but also smartly. “The North Tower is opposite to this tower. The chapel, storehouse, and Dungeon used to be in there, but now it’s just crumpling, unstable rock. I have it locked tight so no one has to worry about it.” 

The group seemed to deflate slightly, hoping to finally go into the tower now that the castle had a new owner, but no such luck.

“I know, I was super curious about it too, on my first night. But I assure you, its super boring, and I almost died.” She quickly changed the subject. “Now, if you will follow me to the ballroom.”

The group traveled under the staircase and passed several paintings before stopping at the large double doors.

“This room used to be the Throne Room. Back in the 11th century, when the Hofferson that lived here acted as mayor of the principality, they found no need of a throne room it was converted into a ballroom.”

Astrid threw open the door and gestured inside.

There were high vaulted ceilings and low hanging wrought iron chandeliers, overflowing with candle wax. The checked marble floor was polished perfectly. And the grand fireplace on the far end of the hall glowed with a low fire.

None of this was noted, since dancing on the floor were several pairs of suits and dresses. None of them had visible bodies, but they danced away just as gaily. In the corner of the room, a victrola sat, playing a haunting tune.

 _Till then, my darling, please wait for me_  
Till then, no matter when it will be   
Some day I know I'll be back again   
Please wait till then   
Astrid watched the scene, awestruck. She glanced back at her family to find them all entranced with the scene before her. A hallow tuxedo approached her, and held out it’s white gloves.

“Uh…okay.” She agreed, putting her hand in his. She could feel the warmth radiating from his hand. “Hiccup?”

“Yes, Mistress Astrid,” he spoke with mirth. Without anything else, he lead her out onto the dance floor.

 _Our dreams will live though we are apart_  
Our love I know we'll keep in our hearts   
Till then, when all the world will be free   
Please wait for me   
“Well, that’s one way to tell them the castle is haunted,” she laughed, looking at what she assumed was his face.

“We did this once in 1816, for a Hofferson girl’s birthday. It was a big hit.”

 _Although there are oceans we must cross_  
And mountains that we must climb   
I know every gain must have a loss,   
So pray that our loss is nothing but time   
Astrid glanced back at her family and saw them walking around the room, eyes riveted on the ghostly forms.

“How is this happening?!” One of her cousins shouted.

“Ghosts!” cried another. “Uncle Finn was telling the truth!”

 _Till then, let's dream of what there will be_  
Till then, we'll call on each memory   
Till then, when I will hold you again   
Please wait till then  
Astrid called back to her family, “I told you, the staff came with the house!”

 _Although there are oceans we must cross_  
And mountains that we must climb   
I know every gain must have a loss,   
So pray that our loss is nothing but time 

The couples broke apart and each took a new partner from the family, proving that they were real. Astrid hid a laugh, since she knew that there were only two female vikings left, so most of the dresses were being worn by men. She wondered who lost those bets.

 _Till then, let's dream of what there will be_  
Till then, we'll call on each memory   
Till then, when I will hold you again   
Please wait till then

Hiccup stopped the dance once the record finished.

“Sorry, I’m not a very good dancer.” Astrid apologized awkwardly, “I think you have more practice then I did.”

“You did fine,” his voice answered, just whispers.

Suddenly, the flames in the fireplace burst forth like the sun, making the living guests fall to the ground to hide their eyes. The ground trembled terribly and a menacing roar tore threw the air.

“HOFFERSON!”

Hiccup was standing still, his eyes staring out the window to the North Tower. “There’s an intruder.” He said this in a voice not like his own.

Astrid glanced up and looked around the room. Everyone was present…except for her father who never came back from the restroom. Astrid felt her chest, where the key had been, but was now missing.

“It’s dad!” She screamed, staggering to her feet and fleeing from the room. The rest of the group hurried as well, to get away from the fire. But even in Grand Hall, the fireplace was alive with flame.

“Everyone out of the castle!” Shouted Eret, going to the front door.

Astrid and Hiccup, along with her mother, raced to the North Tower hallway.

“Why couldn’t have he just listened to me?!” Astrid lamented. “Why couldn’t he have just stayed away!?”

Phillis said nothing, not wanting to reveal that she had egged her husband on.

In the East Tower, the doors were wide open, and the doorway to the North Tower was solid flame.

Astrid turned to her mother, “Stay back! It’s not safe!”

“You stay back too!” She attempted to move forward, but a skeletal Hiccup held an arm out to keep her back. The woman was stricken with fear at the sight, and froze in place.

Astrid waved her back and stepped into the flaming hall. The roar of the fire was so loud, Astrid could barely hear anything. “Where were Ruff and Tuff?!” She screamed.

“I don’t know!” Hiccup called back, a few steps behind.

It was so hot, hotter then she’d ever felt before. Was she in hell? Her body refused to move, and she grew weak.

She felt an arm around her shoulder. “Come on! We have to save your dad!” Hiccup urged.

Astrid could barely hold her eyes open, it was so hot and so bright.

Then, a solid figure appeared in the doorway, his face full of horror. “Astrid!”

“Dad!” She and Hiccup rushed to him, grabbed him by the arms, and dragged him out into the hall. As soon as his feet hit the floor to the East Tower, the fire died and the Black Door slammed shut.

Astrid knelt by her dad, while Hiccup hurried to lock the door.

“Dad! Dad! Are you alright?”

The man kept his eyes trained on the carpet. His body was filthy with soot, and his clothes were burned. Three huge scratches started from his shoulder and went down to his hip across his back.

“I’m so sorry…” he whispered, his voice hoarse from smoke. “I should have listened to you…”

“What happened?” Urged Phillis. “What did you see?”

Axel shuttered, unable to speak.

“Axel!” Phillis urged. “What happened!?” 

“There was a man in white…and he had no eyes…” After that, Axel broke down into forlorn sobs.

Astrid looked back at Hiccup, who still stood in the hall to the North Tower, where his form was semi-solid and mostly human. It was for the best.

“We need to get you to the hospital.” Phillis stated, pulling on his arm. “Come on, Astrid, help me.”

The girl tugged his arm and helped him to stand.

“Here,” Hiccup spoke quickly, “don’t forget this.” He held out the key, his hand passing through the threshold and turning into bone.

Questioning looks came to Axel and Phillis, but now was not the time.

“I’ll take care of the house, Mistress Astrid.” 

—

The song used in this chapter is called [Till Then by the Mills Brothers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiHCz-cOQ8).


	7. New Wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, Eret is like 10 years older than Astrid in this fic.

—

Astrid returned home early morning, exhausted. Her father was kept in the hospital for observation, and the rest of her family checked into a hotel. So now, she was to return home alone.

This was an utter catastrophe.

“I want you to pack up your things and come home right away. That place is too dangerous for you to stay,” her mother had stated.

Astrid had protested, and pleaded, saying she was an adult, and could make her own decisions. But the worry and disappointment on her mother’s face was hard to argue with. The distant stare in her father’s eyes was even harder.

Now, she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t rent the rooms out. Not with whatever menace laid within the castle. Who knows what could happen when someone else tried to enter?

When she returned, Hiccup was waiting for her in the lobby. The burned fireplaces and been cleaned of soot, and the castle looked pristine once again. But it lacked the magical luster it had the day before.

“Welcome home, Astrid.” He smiled at her. “How’s your father?”

Astrid couldn’t meet his eyes. “Physically…he’ll be fine. But what ever he saw down in the tower…it really messed him up.”

“I’m really sorry, Astrid.” She could see the guilt in his eyes.

She shook her head, “I don’t know what else to do. My mom wants me to leave, but I don’t know.”

Hiccup was quiet as she thought.

“I think it’s best if all the vikings return to the tower. Just for now.”

He was still as a grave, his inner turmoil raging within his breast. But as much as it hurt, Hiccup nodded in agreement. “Then, I’ll go find everyone.” 

It was heartbreaking to watch the friends she had made shuffle back into the tower. Though they only spared smiles for her, she saw the hopelessness in their eyes. She wasn’t being fair, she knew. But what else could she do? Everything was unfair.

Hiccup stood in the doorway, his impossibly green eyes searching hers. There were no words to say. Hiccup reached his hand up and brushed her cheek, both of them feeling the touch in this realm. It made her shudder, but she did not pull away.

“Thank you…for all your kindness.” He whispered. Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

She couldn’t say anything in return. Not a thank you, not an apology, nothing. She opted to turn away and close the door. After a moment of great regret, she locked it as well, before she turned and fled the barren hall, then locked that door too.

Why was she crying? She barely knew him, right? He was dead after all this time. So why did her heart ache so much?

Eret stood not far from her, a knowing look on his face. “You locked them away, didn’t you?”

“What choice did I have?” Her voice broke.

He stepped up and held her arms, in a brotherly way. “Not many, I know. But this was the hardest.”

She nodded. “I want to solve the curse. I know that’s the solution, but I don’t have a clue how to.”

“Did you finish reading Finn’s journals?”

“Not yet…”

“Then why don’t you start there? I’ll help.”

She nodded, and let him lead her to the library.

—

An hour passed, and as the entries moved forward in time, they became more sparse. Sometimes skipping a year between them. Then finally, and with great horror, she reached the final page.

_November 9, 2000_

_My brother visited and brought his son and his family with him from Michigan. My grand niece, Astrid, is such a beauty. She has long flaxen hair, like my mother once had, and huge blue eyes. For being so young, she’s so smart and clever. She listens to my ramblings of my studies and seems to hang onto every word. I have already decided to leave the castle to her when I leave this world. I truly believe she will care for my home the way it should be._

_But, this decision did not come easy. I almost changed my mind. A week ago, I was awakened in my chamber by a child’s cries. I ran downstairs, only to find my dear little Astrid making the acquaintance of Hiccup. Despite his normally friendly disposition, he foolishly decided to approach her in the East Tower stairs where his form was skeletal. This obviously upset her, and she cried for what seemed like hours in my arms. Since that night, I could see Hiccup watching her from the shadows. It is with great sadness that I find he has imprinted on her and despite my warnings, he is adamant to seek her out. I know she will not return to the castle again for a few more years, but his insistence on seeing her has me worried._

_My want to free my friends will always come second to the obligation to keep my family safe. And so, I must draw the line here. I told Stoick earlier today my decision…and he was not pleased. It was only by Hiccup that I was not run out of my own home._

_So now, my life’s mission to break an unbreakable curse has come to a close. I’m 74 years old, and it’s about time I stopped clinging to these youthful fantasies. This is my last entry._

_Finn Hofferson_

Astrid ran to the bookshelf and pilfered thought the gathered texts, desperately looking for another journal. “That can’t be the end! There has to be more!”

“Astrid?” Eret looked up from his book on modern ghost stories.

“It’s all my fault!” Astrid sank to her knees. “I’m the reason he gave up on them…” 

Eret scratched his chin. “He didn’t give up on them completely…every once in a while, he’d let them out of the tower to roam around.” Then he sighed. “But it was about five years before you came that Finn locked them away for good. He never really answered me when I asked him about it.”

Astrid dropped into a settee, dejected.

“And after that, he stopped showing enthusiasm for the things he used to. Then nurses came to take care of him…then he was bed ridden…and then, well. You know.”

“Trying to break the curse kept him young.” Astrid posed. “In spirit.”

Eret had taken the journal from where she dropped it and began to read. Meanwhile, Astrid stood and went to the window, gazing at the dead garden.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He finally said.

Astrid didn’t respond.

“You were a child. Any kid would been scared to see a skeleton. And any grandfather, or Uncle, would have protected that child from their fears. Don’t blame yourself.”

Neither of them had yet to acknowledge the fact that Hiccup had some sort of obsession with Astrid after all this time. It was disturbing enough to think about.

“Come on, let’s go get some fresh air.” Eret beckoned.

“Hmm?”

“I need some help in the garden. I think some weeding will clear your head.”

She nodded in agreement and followed him out to the garden.

The sun was out, a rare occurrence for the dismal grays of the moors. Astrid had a rake and worked to get the dead leaves out of the area of living plants. Eret was quiet as he worked on a bush. The cool fall air chilled them a bit, but they didn't mind.

"You have to get the weeds early, before the choke out the others.” He explained as she watched.

"Can I help?"

"Yeah, but watch for the thistle. It’ll prick you.”

She kneeled next to the bush and pulled out a dandelion.

Eret stopped her by putting a hand over hers. "We leave the dandelions.” At her questioning look, he continued, “This plant has shallow roots, can't get water very well. The dandelions bring it up for it. Also attracts insects for pollination. We get all sorts in the spring, hairstreaks, skippers, and fritillaries. Last year, we had a migration of painted ladies come through. That was amazing.”

"Um..and these are…?"

"Butterflies, my one true love.” He said it will a wistful smile.

"Wow! Must be amazing!"

"So leave the dandelions alone."

"Yes sir."

"We’re getting rid of the milk thistle though, sucks up the water dry.”

Astrid nodded with a smile and reached out to the purple flower. Unfortunately, despite his warnings, she pricked herself anyway. She shook her hand out and sucked on the finger.

“It’s a pain, ain’t it? If you want to help more often, I’ll pick you up some gloves for your dainty lady fingers."

Astrid stuck her tongue out in response and took back the rake.

A day away from the castle is just what Astrid needed to get her strength and resolve back. Eret made them sandwiches and they sat in the garden talking.

“So, if you could have any job, what would it be?”

Eret laughed. “I’m a simple man, Astrid. I don’t need more than what I already have.”

“Oh come on, there had to have been other ideas that crossed your mind.”

He shrugged. “Not really. Living in a castle? Already knowing that you’ll have a job out of school? Like, the only reason I went to school was to get better at my job. This is my life’s work.” He gestured to the bleak and gray land around them. “Well, not right now, but you’ll see when spring comes!”

“Of course,” she snickered.

“Well, what about you? Is this what you want to do for the rest of your life?”

A pensive look crossed her face before she looked down to her feet. “It was. At one point. But now I’m not too sure. Everything is just…kind of messy right now, you know?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “What would you do if you broke the curse?”

“If the castle wasn’t haunted anymore?” She crossed her legs, thoughtful. “Gee, I never really thought about it before…You know, I think I could keep renting out the rooms, but I could do something with entertainment. The vikings seem to go for that.” Then another thought crossed her mind. “What will happen to them? Will they live again? Or pass on?”

Eret blanched, “I have no idea.”

Astrid frowned, not liking that answer. “I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

He stood up, taking their trash in his hands. “I’m going to go inside for a bit, for some water. Want any?”

“Yes please,” she said pleasantly. “I’ll keep working, if you don’t mind.” 

“Good luck, I’ll be back in a bit.” He smiled, and disappeared around the corner.

She continued raking, the fresh earth becoming visible under all the decaying growth. She began to imagine the stone walls covered with ivy, and rich reds and pinks and yellows bursting forth in a palette of warm spring.

“It’ll be out of a fairytale,” she told herself. “I can’t wait for spring to come.”

Without warning, from behind, someone grabbed her around the waist and covered her mouth with a cloth.

She fought against them, screaming for help, but her cries were left silent as her arms were pinned behind her back. The cloth was stuffed in her mouth, rendering her speechless, before her attacker shoved her onto the ground and clicked handcuffs into place.

“You have the right to remain silent.” A sickeningly familiar voice said. “And might I recommend doing just that?”

Astrid tried to turn around to look at her attacker, but he kept his knee on her back and prevented her movement. Then, just as quickly as she went down, she was brought back up to her feet and another cloth was tied around her face. It was soaked in a sweet smelling liquid and made it hard to breathe. As she was pushed around, she kept shaking her head, trying to free herself of the cloth. But it wouldn’t budge.

“Fighting will get you nowhere, Hofferson.”

It was then that she recognized the voice. She had only heard him a few times, but Officer Viggo Ryker always gave her the creeps.

He shoved her in his trunk, and quickly sped off into the woods. Away from the castle, away from town…away from anyone that would be able to help her.

A few minutes later, the liquid on the cloth, she assumed was chloroform, took it’s toll and Astrid passed into unconsciousness.

A couple hours passed. The sudden breath Astrid took filled her lungs with smoke, and she sputtered out coughs. Everything was dark, and she was being stuck with sharp sticks on all sides. Her backside was burning hot, but she couldn’t move.

“So, you’re awake.” She heard Viggo say. “Now the rite can begin!”

She tried to protest, but she was weak and in pain.

Whatever she was laying on lowered to the ground and the heat intensified all around her.

“Oh flaming tongues of old…” Viggo began. “How long you have suffered by the hands of my kind? How you cry out in the darkness for justice, and you plead for your home! Please, oh great Druids of the Earth, hear my prayers and take this offering from me. Grant me release from this immortal body so that I may avenge you and finally die!”

The sticks that surrounded Astrid caught fire and she could finally see. Her prison was a cage made out of tightly woven sticks. Using all of her strength, she fought to sit up.

Then, the most unbelievable thing occurred.

Her cage was blown apart and a stone dragon stood above her.

“…Toothless?” She managed to speak.

“NO! You vile creature!” Viggo screamed, right before he was tackled to the ground by someone else.

Toothless grabbed Astrid and dropped her onto the dewy grass, gently patting her with his paws.

In the distance, she heard fighting. “Hiccup?” She called out, trying to see him. No, that couldn’t be right. He was trapped in the North Tower.

Her world seemed to fade in and out as the poison still clung to her system. Her throat was tight with smoke, and she continued to cough. She hadn’t noticed that Toothless left until she saw red and blue lights glistening off the trees.

“Astrid? Astrid!” Eret shouted, crouching beside her.

“Eret?”

“Are you alright?”

Again, she tried to sit up, and it was easier this time. Eret took her arm and helped her to sit up.

“Did you find her?” Another unknown voice asked.

“Yeah, she’s awake.”

A man in a Black uniform knelt in front of her, a light on his lapel illuminating her. She blinked against it. “Astrid Hofferson?”

“Yeah?” She responded, wearily.

“My name is Patrick Dweller, I just have a few questions for you.”

“Hmmm…”

“Did you know the man that attacked you?”

“Vaguely. He said his name was Officer Viggo Ryker.”

“Okay, and do you know why he attacked you?”

She had an idea it had to do with the curse, since he had mentioned the Druids, but she didn’t know for sure. And she didn’t want anyone else to know about the secret of the Castle. “No, sir.”

The officer nodded, writing down her answers in a notebook. “Would you be willing to testify against him in court at a later date?”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“Alright, thank you for your cooperation.”

Then next person to approach her was an EMT. He and Eret helped her over to sit in an ambulance for observation. The world was moving in slow motion and she was having trouble concentrating.

“You are extremely lucky,” the EMT was saying. “You only got minor burns, probably because you have such a thick coat on. You did breathe in a lot of smoke, but since it was just wood burning, the risk of infection is a lot lower. Would you like to go to the Hospital?”

Astrid shook her head. That was the last thing she needed right now. “No…I’ll be fine.”

“Alright. But if you develop a fever, or the coughing continues, make sure you get help immediately.”

Astrid nodded before she sat up a little straighter. “I will.”

Eret, seeing how weak she still was, scooped her up into his arms. She leaned on his shoulder, not protesting his help in the slightest, though his touch on her burned back stung, and she winced slightly. He carried her over to his truck and set her inside. “We’re going home.” He assured.

She nodded, closing her eyes as she snuggled into the seat. “How did you find me?”

“Thank Toothless.” He replied, starting the car. “Not long after I left you in the garden, I could hear him roaring and shrieking at from outside. Honestly, I had no idea what he was trying to tell me. But when I went outside to get you…and you weren’t there, and I figured that someone must have taken you. Since Toothless wakes up whenever there’s an intruder. So I got in my truck and Toothless took off flying down the road. I called the police as I hurried after him, and tried to explain the situation to them, while keeping up with him. Sorry it took so long to find you…I got lost a few times in the trees.”

She shook her head. “You found me just in time.” She coughed a bit. “What did you tell the police?”

“Nothing about Toothless, if you’re worried. I just said that I thought my boss was abducted and I was following the car that I assumed took her. I just gave them street names and landmarks as I passed. It wasn’t until Viggo’s little wooden egg sack went up in smoke that I found you.”

“Wait,” she sat up straighter. “Wooden egg sack?”

“Yeah, at least that’s what it looked like.”

“It was a wicker basket!” She nearly shouted, startling Eret.

“Excuse me?”

“The Celtic Druids used to sacrifice humans by burning them alive in wicker baskets! I bet that’s what Viggo was trying to do!”

“That’s…deplorable.” Eret frowned. “Why? And why you?”

Astrid furrowed her brow, thinking back to what he had said. “He said he had to complete a rite. Then…’Oh Druids of the Earth, take this offering from me and grant me release from this immortal body, that I may avenge you and die.’”

“Oh my god!” Eret shouted, nearly driving off the road.

“What is it?!”

“How many vikings were in the tribe when they raided the castle?”

“Uh, I don’t know!”

“Come on! You’ve been reading Finn’s journal!”

“Um um um…a hundred and…three. Yeah, a hundred and three.”

“Okay, so there’s 5 that died before the curse, and their ghosts remain in the castle.”

“Right.”

“And then there’s 95 that are trapped in the tower.”

“Right. 100 total in the castle.”

“And then the first Hofferson to own the castle, and his wife.”

“Yeah…”

“Then where’s number 103?”

Astrid looked up to him, staring at him in shock. “The one that was spared.”

“What if he was just cursed differently?”

Astrid put her hands to her head. “Oh my god…do you think he figured out how to break the curse? And that’s what he was doing?”

Eret shook his head, “there’s no way. And besides, if that isn’t it, and you…y’know, _die_. That’ll be the end of it. The ghosts will be cursed for eternity.”

She breathed a sigh and tried to calm her still swimming head. “Okay, so when we get home, I’ll get the others from the North Tower, we’ll brief them on the situation, and then…I don’t know.”

“We could raid the library while you rest. You went through a lot today.”

Astrid sighed, rolling her stinging shoulders uncomfortably. “I’ll have to sleep on my stomach then.”

When they arrived home, Toothless was resting by the door. As soon as she exited the truck, he bounded over and nuzzled her legs.

“Thanks Toothless,” she patted him. “I owe you one.”

The dragon whined sadly, then jumped back up to the roof of the castle.

With a little aid from Eret, Astrid climbed the stairs in the East Tower, and fetched the key from around her neck. “I hope they won’t be too mad at me,” she said with woe.

“I think they understand.” Eret consoled. “They’re probably used to it.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of.” She unlocked the hallway door, and then made her way down to the Tower. Inside, the air had a bite to it, it was even colder than it was outside.

She locked the tower behind her and trudged up the crumbling stairs. But when she reached the top, there wasn’t light pouring out from the chapel door like there used to. Carefully, she pulled open the door, only for her heart to sink.

Inside, one lone candle sat on a table. Gobber sat alone, staring at the flame.

“Gobber?”

He met her eyes, surprised. “Lass…you’re alright!”

“Yes…how did—?”

“Hiccup saw the whole thing. He was watching you in the garden, and saw Viggo take you.”

“Then, he was the one who sent Toothless…”

“Aye, he was terrified.”

“Where is he now? I need to talk to him!”

Gobber looked away, back to the fire, but didn’t say a word.

“Where…is everybody else?”

“They’re all gone, Astrid. They all left.”


	8. New Battles

—

“Gone?” Astrid breathed. “You mean you’re the only one left?”

The man nodded, sadly.

Astrid dropped into the chair, unable to comprehend this massive disaster that befell them.

“They all thought you were done for. Viggo was one of us. A resilient fighter, and a thousand years of fighting would make him a force to be reckoned with. We didn’t think you’d make it. And even if you did…maybe you’d leave.”

“I almost didn’t make it,” She agreed. Her gaze trailed around the dark room, a numbness setting into her bones. She noted the broken window facing the garden, and wondered if it had always been like that. “But I’m not going to abandon everyone.” She sat up a little straighter. “Where’s Hiccup?”

“I told you lass, he’s gone.”

“Where?”

Gobber gave her an incredulous look. “You don’t mean to go down there and fetch him, do you?”

“What else?”

Gobber shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. Things live down there, terrible, horrible things.”

“Like Mildew?”

“Mildew is the least of your concerns. There are others.”

“Then explain it to me,” She demanded. “I’m going down there to get Hiccup and fix this. I am going to stop this curse.”

Gobber could see the fire in her eyes and sighed aloud. “Alright, if you must.” He stood, and began to pace the floor. “Mildew, Savage, Alvin, Dagur, and Drago. These 5 men were killed in the raid on the castle. At one time, they were part of us, part of our family…but after the curse, their souls were dragged back from the beyond and twisted into horrible monsters. Some would say demons. They guard the tower at intervals to keep mortals out.”

“Question,” Astrid interrupted. “If the only living person allowed in the tower is the Master Hofferson, then how come there’s guards? What’s in the Tower that would need guarding? Surely not the Vikings who have left?”

Gobber blinked, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’ve never actually been down there before. Not all the way.”

Astrid furrowed her brow. “Then how do you know what’s there? You said there’s horrible things down there, but were you just talking about the guards?”

Gobber shook his head. “Astrid, there’s a fire deep within the castle and I don’t know where it comes from or how it burns. I can’t give you any help, I’m afraid.” He sighed. “Maybe it is just the guards…maybe it’s something else. But no one knows.”

Astrid frowned, her top lip scrunching up. “Well, I’m not just going to _not_ go down there. What about you? Are you in?”

Gobber hunched his shoulders shyly. “Would if I could go with you, lass. But if I do, I won’t come back. That tower is damnable. Only the chief and his son have successfully returned. Once they go down.”

“Well, I guess it’s me then.”

“Not quite.” He added, standing himself. “I’ll go with you in spirit. Come with me.”

Curious, Astrid followed Gobber out of the room and down one flight of stairs. Only the candle he held provided light. As they travelled, Astrid dared a glanced down into the darkness. It was just an unholy abyss.

They reached the second level, and Gobber went to a door. He held a finger over his lips, a gesture for her to keep silent. She nodded.

By the light of the candle, the walls sparkled strangely, and it took Astrid a moment to realize what she was looking at.

Swords, shields, spears, axes…an armory worth of weapons filled the room.

“So,” he spoke quietly. “What’s your weapon of choice?”

“Uh…I don’t know if I have one.”

“What do you usually fight with?”

She shrugged. “I don’t really fight…I took some self defense classes, and I was in color guard and football…oh, and I’m pretty handy with a gun.”

“You can’t use a gun on a ghost.” The man looked at her like she was stupid. “Well, what do you think you could handle?”

Astrid flicked on the light on her cellphone, and perused the walls until something caught her eye. “Can I try to lift that axe?”

“Go ahead.”

The axe was smaller than a lot of weapons in the room, but it was still the biggest blade she’d ever seen. It had good weight, and took effort to hold, but it felt strong. She spun it experimentally, like she would a flag in color guard.

“You sure you haven’t handled an axe before?”

“I used to be a flag spinner.” She offered. “I think this will do.”

Gobber nodded, a hopeful look on his face. “Good to hear, but please do me a favor and come back in the day time.”

Astrid nodded in understanding. Together, they left from the room, and headed down one more flight of stairs. This time, the abyss had a very soft red light deep deep down.

They left the tower, and Astrid locked the door after them. Eret was still waiting in the East tower, his arms crossed.

“It’s best if you stay out here with Eret, I think,” She posed. 

“Aye, I’d rather not be alone.” He agreed.

“So what happened?” Eret furrowed his brows, seeing only Gobber come out.

“Everyone is gone.”

“Gone? As in _gone_ gone?”

“They all left. Hiccup watched Astrid get kidnapped from the garden by Viggo, and assumed…” He didn’t have the words.

“Why didn’t you leave?” Eret asked.

Gobber shrugged. “I must just be resilient.”

Astrid looked at her phone, seeing it was just passed midnight. “Alright, I’m going to bed. I need as much rest as I can get, and then at sunrise, I’ll set out.”

Eret yawned. “Sounds good.”

—

Astrid rose with the sun. It’s light casting warm hopeful rays around the floor. She sat up, her body sore from her trial the day before. But she was wide awake. In her closet, she dug out a pair of hiking boots, jeans, kneepads, and her shoulder pads from football. And despite what Gobber had said, she took her handgun out of the safe and holstered it to her thigh. She probably looked a little ridiculous, but the more ‘armor’ she wore, the better prepared she felt. Finally, she clipped a cave flashlight onto her collar.

A specter knocked and then opened her door. He had brought a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. “Astrid? Oh good, you’re up.”

“And I’m ready,” she nodded, determined.

After she had eaten, Gobber followed her down into the tower, and shook her hand as they stood at the black door.

“You sure you want to do this? You don’t have to…”

“What other choice is there?”

Gobber gave the saddest smile she’d ever seen. “I had a feeling that the curse would never be broken. No one else agreed, but…I guess that’s why I’m still here.”

She clasped both hands over his, “I’m going to prove you wrong.” She said simply.

“Stay safe.”

“I promise.” She smiled.

Inside, the statue of the ‘druid’ seemed to gleam in the sunlight. The glass windows at the top of the tower reflected colorful flecks off of every surface, which would have been beautiful in any other circumstance. Instead, she just took a deep breath and began her descent. Despite the huge chamber, there was no sound but the debris crushing under her feet.

With each floor, the light grew more and more dim, until she was four floors down, and could barely see the wall. She flicked on her light, and it illuminated the area just in front of her. It only made everything else harder to see. She walked carefully, taking soft steps to avoid making noise. She gripped the axe in both hands, prepared for any movement.

But as she paused for a moment, a iron door in front of her swung open slowly. Her hands tightened on the axe.

Long white spindly fingers stretched out and took hold of the door, soon followed by a bony arm and a ribcage. A creature emerged, one would hardly call it that. No, this was a demon, straight from hell. It’s skull was covered in crooked horns, and it’s teeth were long and jagged. A yellow light glowed from it’s empty eye sockets as it’s long snake-like tongue wagged.

“ _Mortal, you dare to enter this cursed place?_ ”

Astrid didn’t speak, remembering the warning Hiccup gave the last time they were here.

“ _Have you a death wish?_ ”

She shook her head and raised her axe higher.

“ _State your purpose_.”

She hesitated, but finally said. “My name is Astrid Hofferson, Master of the Castle.”

The demon slunk out from it’s hiding place. “ _I know who you are. If not for the title of Master, I would have killed you by now. For what purpose have you entered alone?_ ”

“Hiccup, your chief, is down there somewhere, and I need to speak with him.”

The villain, in all it’s foulness, crept closer, it’s tongue reaching out and swiping across her neck. She slammed her eyes shut to avoid a reaction.

“ _What sort of things do you need to talk about?_ ” He pried.

“He thinks I’m dead. I want to assure him that I’m not.”

Mildew lowered down to look into her eyes, and she met them resolutely. “ _I see truth in your eyes. But not the whole truth, why else are you coming down here?_ ”

It wasn’t any of his business, but ghosts are tricky things. Especially one that could sense her lies. “Part curiosity, and I wish to break the curse on the castle.”

He studied her for agonizingly long time. His piercing yellow eyes set a coldness in her bones and a lurch to her stomach. He circled her, like a vulture circles it’s dying meal.

She just stood tall, trying not to show fear.

Finally, he pulled away and slunk back to his hovel. “ _Your honesty has gained my favor, and I will let you pass. Know that my brothers are not so easily dissuaded. You will find Savage next_.” Then he closed the door and locked it behind him.

Astrid let out a sigh. One down.

But the name ‘Savage’ didn’t sound any less horrifying.

On she continued, she began to notice the faces of vikings watching her from their cells, blankly, hopeless. She smiled and waved pleasantly to them, but no response was ever made. Just empty eyes and sullen faces.

Eight floors down, she noticed paintings hanging on the walls. All of them looked regal and poised, and held an air of importance. Everything was finitely detailed.

She studied them as she walked around the tower level, looking for the next set of stairs.

But then she saw the first painting again.

“Huh?” She said aloud. She went to the railing and looked across the landing. There was no staircases. In fact, she couldn’t tell which way was up or down. Darkness was in both directions.

“Is it night already?”

She turned back around to look at the paintings, but stifled a scream as the portraits now bore corpses with slashes over the necks.

Savage was here, somewhere.

She took off running around the landing, keeping her eyes on the paintings, searching desperately for a clue. But each and every subject had reached a horrible and gruesome demise.

All except for one.

Astrid came to a screeching halt when she came face to face with herself, as a portrait. Her blonde hair, that she usually kept up, was draped over her shoulder. Her neck was inclined, displaying her flawless white skin, and inviting a blade.

Astrid trembled at the sight. She glanced around the floor, and saw a figure several feet away. He was almost completely black, but in the light, his scythe shone.

Astrid glanced briefly back at the painting, but when she turned back, Savage was closer.

“Oh god please no.” She whispered to herself.

She stared at the ghost, unwavering. Her eyes watering from holding back a blink. Still he did not move any closer.

“Well, I can’t just stay like this…” she thought. “There has to be a way to stop him…”

Blindly, she reached out and touched the painting of herself. Vaguely, she felt fingers on her neck and shivered, but she did not tear her gaze away from Savage.

She lifted her painting off the wall, while keeping her axe firmly in one hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see something underneath the painting. With a great risk, she flicked her eyes over to it, only to see another painting. This one was of a man with dark eyes and a cold, tired frown. God help her if she was wrong, but Astrid swung her axe and embedded it into the canvas and clenched her eyes shut.

She heard a clatter, and then nothing.

Astrid pried her eyes open and looked to Savage. There was nothing there now, but his scythe laid on the floor, almost touching her. Just for a moment, she was frozen, adrenaline pumping through her. Then she exhaled, and her shoulders dropped.

The painting she destroyed had changed. Now the face on it was smiling ever so slightly and looked to be in peace. Her own portrait that she had released, was a blank canvas now.

Everything was still.

Behind her, the stairs to the next floor sat waiting.

With shaky legs, Astrid continued on, and glanced up to the tower above. The sunlight was back, but was growing dim. Evening would be coming soon.

“Alright.” She whispered quietly, resolved.

The stairs between the landings seemed to be longer now. The wrought iron cases groaned under her feet as she took careful steps. It just seemed to go on and on and even though she was going down, her legs were tingling from exhaustion. And was she crazy, or was the Tower growing wider too? Maybe it was a trick of the light, or lack there of.

She had lost track of how many flights she had travelled. Everything just looked the same.

In the end, she just came to rest at the railing and turned her gaze upwards. She couldn’t see the light anymore. The air down here was rank and stagnant, almost making it hard to breathe. She was thankful that her friends didn’t have lungs, so they wouldn’t be breathing this in all eternity.

“ ** _I can hear your heart beating…_** ” A deep guttural voice spoke from the darkness.

Astrid swallowed. It _had_ been a while since she saw a guard.

“ ** _It’s so loud…it makes my head hurt._** ”

From the shadows, a man hobbled toward her, his head nearly touching the landing above. Each step made the landing shake, and she feared he would break through. His beard was long and dragged across the floor, as his chained wrists swung back and forth rhythmically. His white eyes glowed in her torch.

“ ** _Your breathing, too. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard._** ”

Astrid then realized that her breathing was haggard and hard. So she held her breath.

“ ** _You can’t hid it. I heard you from the moment you walked in the door. I always hear you._** ”

Astrid swallowed heavily, her throat suddenly dry.

The monster stood directly in front of her, towering above her like a mountain. “ ** _Are you afraid of me?_** ” He asked.

Astrid nodded, terrified of his soulless gaze.

“ ** _Speak. What’s your name?_** ”

She whispered. “Astrid Hofferson.” If he could hear her heart, she couldn’t imagine how loud her voice was.

A pained look came over his face. “ ** _You’re only a child…_** ” His fists clenched and his shoulders heaved. “ ** _I can’t kill a child…Don’t make me kill a child…_** ” 

Astrid gripped her axe, ready for whatever was to come.

“ ** _Kill me instead._** ”

“What?” Astrid asked softly.

“ ** _Kill me!_** ” He begged. “ ** _Kill me now!_** ”

Astrid stepped back, her calf hit the railing behind her.

“ ** _I want to die…please let me die…_** ”

“I don’t want to…” Astrid spoke, a little louder. “I’m not going to kill you unless I have to.”

He grunted, the chains on his wrists clanking. He rolled his shoulders back. “ ** _Then I’m going to make you._** ”

Astrid had just seconds to leap away before the ghost brought his fists down into the railing, crushing it like aluminum.

Her eyes widened, imagining her bones shattering under his fists.

The monster roared and swung his arms around, like a living wrecking ball.

Astrid ducked down to the ground, using her axe as a shield. The monster’s arms careened into the wall, breaking through the stone with a bang. Astrid covered her face with her hands to protect from the flying rubble, only to miss the beast’s next attack. He swung down, hitting her right between the shoulder blades. She broke through the aged floor, and crashed into the floor below and fell unconscious. 

Several hours later, Astrid finally awoke. She grunted softly.

“Hush, be still.” Fishlegs spoke from the dark.

“Huh?” Her head was swimming, as she felt something wrapped around her skull.

This time, Snotlout spoke. “Alvin attacked you, and you fell unconscious. You should be safe in here though.”

“But just to make sure,” Fishlegs interrupted before she answered. “You shouldn’t speak. It’s nighttime now.”

The door on the opposite side of the room opened, and indeed, it was so dark, Astrid couldn’t even see a silhouette.

“We found some extra blankets.” Tuff said from the door. “They’re pretty dusty though.”

Astrid felt someone drape the blankets on her. The smell of dust was overwhelming, but she was too tired to care. Her stomach growled angrily, since she hadn’t eaten all day. But there was nothing she could do about that now.

“Just rest for now, and in the morning, you can tell us all about what happened with Viggo,” Fishlegs assured. 

Grateful, Astrid closed her eyes to rest and soon fell back to sleep.


	9. New Fears

Took a bit with this one, ah? It’s a good one!

—

When Astrid awoke in the morning, there was quiet murmur and a throbbing in her head.

“...Fishlegs?” She asked, looking for her friend. “Is it safe?”

“We’re here, Astrid.” His voice spoke from the dark.

She flicked on her flashlight, to see sullen faces. The room was small, and only had a bed in it. There was no window, and the door was made of iron.

“So what happened with Viggo? How did you escape?”

Still tired, Astrid remained reclining, and propped her head up on her arm. “I almost didn’t. I was unconscious, and when I woke up, I smelled smoke, and I was in a wicker basket.”

The ghosts nodded in understanding. They had learned enough Celtic culture through past Hoffersons to understand what Viggo was trying to do.

“Eret and Toothless saved me though.”

Ruff sighed longingly, “Oh Eret…my dream boat…so wonderful.”

Astrid snorted. “They got to me in time, so I wasn’t hurt at all.”

“So…why are you here then?” Snotlout asked, not to rebuke, but legitimately concerned.

“I…I was abducted. I thought you guys needed to know I was okay?”

Ruff crossed her arms, but did not meet her eyes. “Don’t get us wrong, we’re all happy you’re okay…but it would have been better if you didn’t come here.”

She sat up fully, pushing back the weariness in her bones. “When I got back, Gobber was the only one left. I couldn’t just…” she sighed. “Wait, where’s Hiccup? Isn’t he with you?”

The others looked at each other and Snotlout scratched his neck. He opened his mouth to speak, but just cringed instead.

“Well?” Astrid urged.

“He’s at the bottom of the stairs, but no one else wants to go down there.” Fishlegs finally said. “You shouldn’t either, Dagur and Drago are the guards down there and…” he shook his head, trying to rid himself of a horrible thought. “They are impossible to pass.”

“Dagur is wicked fast, and make sure no one living gets by. And Drago only allows the chief to pass.” Snotlout finished.

“So, that’s where Stoick is too?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I asked Gobber this question too. Why is there guards? Surely you guys don’t need to be protected, since you can’t die.”

“Hey yeah, that’s a good point!” Tuff exclaimed.

“What are you saying?” Fishlegs asked.

“I’m saying, maybe the cure for your curse is down there. And that’s what Dagur and Drago are actually protecting.”

“Do you know that for sure?” Ruff urged.

“No.” She answered honestly. “But what else is there? We’ve exhausted the library, my uncle spent his entire life trying to help…You all have been in torment for a thousand years. If I have the chance to save you, I’m going to take it.”

They circled her, reaching out with gentle and caring hands. They were tangible, but didn’t hold the same weigh as human touch did.

“Live for us, Astrid. Go back, stay safe.”

She scrunched up her brows. “Say I live 80 years, and then I pass away. Then what? You’ll all still be here, in the dark, in the quiet. And it will just go on and on. No. I’m ending this now.” She pushed passed them towards the door.

“Wait, don’t!” Fishlegs pleaded.

“You’ll die down there!”

Astrid snatched up her axe that leaned against the wall. “Then what will happen to me? Will I get to be a ghost with you? Will I haunt this castle as well?”

No one had the answer.

“Why don’t you guys go back up and tell Gobber and Eret I’m still kicking.”

Ruff stood, not surprisingly. “I’ll go.”

Astrid took the key off her neck and handed it to the girl. “Wait for me, okay?”

“You know it!”

With nothing else better to do, Tuff and Fishlegs went up with Ruff.

“I’ll go with you, as far as I can.” Snotlout offered.

Astrid nodded, and they were off.

They travelled in relative silence, not sure what to say to the other. The tower was so deafening still, Astrid almost wished he would try flirting with her, but he remained deadly serious.

Down they went, spiral after spiral, farther into the depths. Where the stone crumbled with a touch, and the iron steps were rusted under foot. One step had given out completely, and if not for Snotlout, she would have fallen into the dark. As her torch had been on for several hours now, the light flickered.

“Oh no no no! Don’t give out on me!” She hit the base of the light, and it returned steadily, but a lot dimmer than she needed. “Great.” But dim was still better than black.

Finally, they reached what seemed to be the bottom. The statue in the center of the room had expanded outwards to touch the railings. The stairs took them down into a wide room, for there was no where else to go.

“Is this…the end?” Astrid whispered, as she swept the room with her light.

In the center, a body sat, curled up, back towards them.

“That’s Dagur.” Snotlout whispered.

The guard looked over his shoulder at the source of the light. “ **Snot-hat? Is that you?** ” He turned slightly, squinting at the light and a pleasant smile on his face. “ **Long time no see! What’s it been? A year or two? I can never tell down here. There’s no way to see the sun and haha, I don’t sleep.** ”

Snotlout stepped in front of Astrid, preparing to be a shield.

With a sickening crack, the man turned his head around, revealing eyes black as pitch. “ **How long has it been?** ” He urged again.

Snotlout tensed, but answered. “A thousand years.”

“ **ONE THOUSAND YEARS**!” The ghost shrieked. More cracking and his body twisted and contorted in unnatural ways, “ **In all that time, no one thought to visit me!? No one thought to check on poor lonely Dagur?!** ”

Snotlout held his hands out, in an attempt to calm the wrathful spirit. “But…but you died.”

“ **And I suppose if your parents died, you wouldn’t weep at their grave!?** ” Dagur shifted his body and ran with unnatural speed at Snotlout, stabbing him in the stomach with his long fingernails.

“Snotlout!” Astrid cried out.

The boy reeled backwards, holding his stomach. There was no blood, and the wound quickly sealed itself. “I’m alright, Astrid. Just…stunned. Sorry, maybe me coming with you wasn’t such a great idea.”

Dagur turned his sights on her, and ran at her.

Astrid braced herself with her axe.

However, he stopped a few centimeters from her. “ **Who are you?** ”

She grit her teeth. “My name is Astrid Hofferson…and I came to visit you.” She added as an afterthought.

“ **You did?** ” His head spun around his neck, as he twisted around her like a snake. “ **That’s so kind.** ”

“Gobber told me there were five guards in this tower, and I figured they were lonely.”

“ **I’m so lonely…** ” he moaned. “ **Lonely in death as I was in life**.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that…” She did genuinely feel sorry for the ghost, but she did not relax one bit as he crept around her, studying her.

Snotlout watched carefully, trying to gauge the situation. But he made no sudden moves, since Astrid had lulled him into a sense of security.

“ **What about you? Are you lonely?** ”

She tried to give a soft smile at the creature. “No, I tend to always have someone bugging me.”

His eyes widened and his needle point teeth glinted in the light of the lamp. “ **You could stay here with me. Then I won’t be lonely, and you’ll only have me as company.** ”

She paused just long enough for him to continue.

“ **You can join me, just like he did**.” He gestured to the corner. Astrid swallowed a lump in her throat as she turned her lamp slowly…slowly…until in gleamed over the gruesome remains of a skeleton.

She shut her eyes in fear.

“ **So how about it?** ”

Astrid managed, “I can’t. There are people waiting for me.”

This was the wrong answer, because Dagur reared up and hissed. “ **Then I will make you stay**!”

Snotlout, watching the exchange carefully, dove in front of Astrid just in the knick of time and took another stab. This time, Dagur’s hand went all the way through his body and out his back, stopping centimeters before he hit Astrid.

“ **Don’t get in my way, Snot-hat**!”

“You want company? I’ll give you company! But leave her alone!” Snotlout tried to be intimidating, but his voice was hollow.

Dagur gave a fierce shriek and tossed Snotlout to the side. With a semi-tangible body, Snotlout flew across the room and slammed into the wall, stunned. Then with a crack, Dagur whipped his head over, and looked at Astrid.

Astrid dropped her axe in fear, and stood no chance in recovering it in time. So she went with Plan B, and drew her gun.

Dagur was mere inches from her as she pulled the hand gun from her holster and unloaded bullet after bullet into the specter, all the while screaming as she did so. The smell of sulfur cut through the musty air.

When the gun stopped shooting, she finally pried her eyes open.

Dagur, in all his horror, had stilled, his face and torso riddled with holes. He let out a shutter. “That was…unexpected…” His voice sounded like a normal man’s. His eyes had returned to a normal human’s, and his body unwound to stand at a normal gait. “I haven’t felt pain in…some time.” His skin began to flake and dissipate. “It was so loud and bright…” He took a step forward, only for his foot to dissolve before hitting the floor. His skull on his ribcage remained. His jaw opened as one final whisper came out. “Now I won’t be lonely any more.” With that, the specter dissipated into dust.

Astrid fell to her knees, and the gun fell uselessly out of her hand.

Snotlout was rubbing his eyes when he came over. “I’m glad I’ve gotten out of the tower a lot or else that light would have been…awful.”

Astrid let out a humorous huff. “And Gobber said a gun couldn’t kill a ghost.”

Snotlout shrugged. “Well, Dagur wasn’t really a ghost. I don’t know what you would call him…he was…undead?”

“A zombie?”

“Hmm?”

“That’s what we call the undead, a body that died, and then was animated again without a soul.”

“Huh. But this was more…a body that died, and a soul ripped from an eternal resting place and stuffed back into it. It’s hard to describe.”

She nodded in understanding. “I see.”

“You look exhausted.”

“I am. And I’m extremely hungry.”

Snotlout thought for a moment and snapped his fingers. “I’ll go back up and get you some food. It wouldn’t tire me.”

“Oh my god that would be amazing.” She stretched out her legs and leaned back on her arms. “Some water would be great. And some batteries for my light. 2 AA.”

He nodded. “Got it, I’ll be back…soon.”

Astrid just scooted back to lean against the wall and closed her eyes in exhaustion. There was one guard left in the tower and she was out of bullets. So she’d have to win with her wits, or pure dumb luck. But she had to go on. Hiccup needed her.

Snotlout returned much quicker than she was expecting, or perhaps, time had slipped her by.

“Here,” he said, holding out a bag. “A ham and cheese sandwich for protein, carrots and broccoli for whatever they do. A coke for caffeine and sugar, and water.”

“Oh thank god!” She tore into the sandwich and the veggies with relish, wishing there was more. She downed the soda and took several gulps of water. As she ate, Snotlout updated her on what was going on upstairs.

“Your mom called Eret. She said she tried your phone, but it went right to voicemail.”

Astrid took her phone out of her pocket, only for the battery symbol to glow up at her. She doubted she got any signal down here anyway.

“She said your dad is alright, and asked if he could pick them up from the hospital. Eret and the others will make sure they’re comfortable.”

She didn’t know how comfortable they’d be staying in the castle after what had happened.

“Eret also left out the whole thing with Viggo. So no worries there.”

“Good.”

“Oh, and here’s the batteries,”

“Thanks.” She sighed. And in the dark, she replaced the batteries, only for the chamber to illuminate much brighter when they were in. “Better.”

And with the light, a door was visible, on the other side of room from where they came in. 

“I’m afraid this is as far as I can go.” Snotlout said. “Drago won’t allow me to pass.”

“What was he like, in life?”

Snotlout shook his head. “Horrible. Mysterious, manipulative, always vying for power. We were all surprised when he was the first to die, because he was a monster in size. I’m not jealous of you, going down there. Who knows what he’s become in death?”

Astrid swallowed. “You were supposed to make me feel better.”

Snotlout shrugged helplessly, “I can’t sugarcoat this. Not this one.”

“Well, thank you for preparing me, I guess.”

And so, she stood, on her own two feet and went to the door. Before opening it, she gave Snotlout a little wave.

“I’ll wait here, just so you know. Got nothing else to do.”

She smiled back. “We’ll try not to keep you waiting.”

Inside the door was a staircase that went straight down. On both sides, was only darkness. And as she directed her light into it, the beam just went on, like shining a flashlight into the night sky. Only there were no stars to comfort her.

She began her descent, carefully holding onto the railing. Each step ticked against the cold stone, and a cold chill went down her spine. She took each step carefully, quietly, and slowly, afraid to even breathe.

One step and burst of light, she found herself standing in her lobby. The lobby she had redecorated, and modernized for her guests. Only this was different. Her lobby had a couch and a TV, and early gothic crown molding. This lobby was stone, with ornate wooden benches and tapestries.

In front of her stood a woman, gazing out the window, watching the rain. She was dressed in clothes from a different era.

“Phlegma, my dear.” A man called over, entering the room.

Astrid wished to speak up, to ask who they were and what they were doing there. But she couldn’t recall how to speak.

“How many days has it been? How long has this rain gone on?”

The man was quiet, “You asked me that yesterday.” He said softly. “And my answer was 35. And the day before that was 34. Shall I tell you again that it’s 36?”

There was a break in her voice. “So then, is the rain for you, as it is for me?”

The man, seemingly patient, replied, “how do you see the rain?”

“A downpour. A storm that would sink ships. Another home like the one we left behind…would simply wash away.”

The husband nodded in understanding, stepping closer to her. “And for me, the rain is only a pitter patter upon our stone walls. But, it is persistent.”

She turned to him quickly. “Then why?! Why is it so much easier for you than it is for me!?”

He grasped her arms, and held her tightly. “Because, you were the one that carried him. He came from you, Phlegma…and losing a child before knowing him…is the ultimate heartbreak. He was part of both of us, but he came from _you_.”

At this, Phlegma dissolved into sobbing as her husband held her. “And until the storm turns into a gentle sprinkle, I will hold you, and count the days.”

“Thank you, Axel.”

He smiled at her and kissed her sweetly. “We will have a family. The Hofferson’s must live on!”

And just like that, Astrid was on the dark stairs again, her footstep coming in contact with the stone.

“What…?” She whispered aloud.

Confused, she took a couple more steps, only to step into the ballroom. A throne sat a head of her, and the king who would sit upon it, laid on the floor. A trail of blood lead from the throne to him. With great pain, he rose his head, blood leaking from his lips.

“I will not die here! I will not die alone in this stone hell!”

His finger tips clutched at the floor as he dragged himself another foot. “Stoick!” He cried. “Hiccup! Gobber! Anyone!” He coughed, “I’m sorry! You can come out now! Help me!”

Still, the castle remained still, and his fist landed on the stone.

“Aaron! Aaron, my son!” He cried. His head dropped to the floor as a sob broke from him. “Aaron…I’m sorry. God, if you have any mercy left. Please let me see my son! I must warn him of the North Tower! I must warn him of the—“

The vision broke, and Astrid was in the dark, yet again.

“I get it.” She whispered to herself. “These are past Hofferson’s. But why here? Why now? And why these things?”

On she travelled, through each generation of Hofferson before her. And each time, there was more heartache, more betrayal.

More tragedy.

A man weeping over the loss of his loved ones during a raid. A woman burning alive in a fire, as her brother watched on. A pair of twins having a playful sword fight that only turned deadly as one plunged his weapon into his brother’s chest, spitting words of hatred all the while. Onward she stepped through time, feeling her heart squeezing, her eyes burning, and a painful constricting in her throat. 

At one moment, she was standing in the chapel, surrounded by her ghoulish friends, and a dozen more she had never seen. There was no way to place the time.

A woman, slender and small, cried into her hands as Stoick and Hiccup comforted her.

“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep pretending that everything is going to be okay. I can’t keep looking outside, onto the same lake, those same moors, and never be allowed to touch them again.”

“We’ll be out there again mom, I know we will! Conway will figure out a way to break the curse! I know he will!”

“You’ve said the same thing about every Hofferson in this damn castle! Every 50 years or so, it’s the same! But he’s different! But he’s smart! But nothing!! We’ve been here for almost a thousand years, and no one has come close!”

Stoick shook his head. “They just don’t live long enough.”

Hiccup had recoiled, ashamed. “I know it’s hard…I just have to keep believing, because if I don’t…” He turned and met Astrid’s eyes, looking right through her. “I’ll go back.”

Hiccup’s mother stood, her arms swaying slightly. “I’m ready to go down.” She took her husband’s hand and looked up at him. “Will you help me?”

He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it, his whiskers tickling her skin. “Anything for you, my love.”

The step out of the scene felt heavier than the last, as her eyes had filled with tears. Though it hurt, she moved on. She fought for Hiccup, pushing each of these visions out of her head as the next one came into play.

But then finally, she was in her room, the bright sun of the morning coming in the window and shining on a lovely woman. She was middle aged, grey in her hair, and crows feet by her eyes. But she was still lovely, and rocked the bundle in her arms with joy and peace on her face. She sang a nameless tune to the babe, who remained quiet in sleep.

A strange scene, in this onslaught of nightmares.

There was a knock on the door, and another woman came in, presumingly a maid. With one look, she released a shriek that she suddenly stifled, then ran out of the room.

Astrid watched nervously.

A man came hurriedly into the room. “Helena!”

The mother hushed him. “Quiet, or you’ll wake Henry!”

The man closed his eyes, not in anger...but in fear? Disgust? Astrid wasn’t sure.

“Helena, this charade has got to stop! Your children need you!”

“What children? I only have my Henry.” She smiled, not taking her eyes of the babe.

“What children!? What about Edmund? And Thomas? And little Marie!?”

Things didn’t seem right. Looking at the mother, Astrid noticed mud on her dress, and the cradle had no indication of recent use.

After a pause, Helena replied, “I need to take care of my youngest son.”

Father frowned hard, a look of defeat on his face. His lip trembled and he looked like he was about to cry. “That…that thing isn’t our son. Not anymore!”

Helena finally looked to her husband, insulted and aghast. “Andreas, how could you say that?”

Astrid watched in mute horror as the woman held up the decaying corpse of a long dead infant. “He has your eyes.”

Astrid nearly tumbled down the stairs in a mad dash to get away from what she had seen. It was horrible, sickening…and it was in her blood. Was she capable of such horrors? Of such madness? Surely not…She hesitated on the stairs. There couldn’t be that much longer left, could there? How many lives did she witness? How many deaths?

So she swallowed, and preceded onward.

She stepped into the library, where a man sat at the big mahogany desk. The painting of Stoick she was so used to was not there, so this was still before 1950. The man smoked a pipe, the long gusts of smoke curling in wisps in the darkness. A empty decanter sat beside him, along with a wet whiskey glass with ice still inside. Only a fire lit the room, plunging everything into shadow.

“Hey, old man?” A teenager spoke from the door.

Astrid turned to see his face, only for him to walk through her. She was the ghost in this realm.

“What is it?” The older man asked.

“Drinking again, I see.” The boy said, with a sneer.

“Well, spit it out!”

“Fine fine. I’m 18 now, legally an adult. So I want an advance on my inheritance.”

The father said nothing, just picked up the glass and spun the ice around.

“I want to go to America and study, so you know…I’m not going to just going to blow it all. I’m sure you think I would.” He held out his hand.

The father took an ice chip into his mouth, and was quiet for a moment, thinking. “What makes you think you’re getting an inheritance, Rowan?”

Rowan furrowed his brow. “Well…I am your son, aren’t I? Half of this castle is mine, by right. Finn isn’t even a year old. You think he cares?”

The father raised his brow and leaned forward in his chair. “Unless I have another child on the way, Finn will be inheriting this castle on his own.”

“But—“

“You aren’t in my will, Rowan.”

The son shook his head. “You can’t…you’ve lied to everyone else! But you can’t lie to me! I’ve been a servant to you. Only you and ‘mom’ know I’m your son. I put up with this charade all my childhood, because I didn’t know any better. But you show Finn more affection than you’ve ever shown me. This isn’t fair!”

“You worked for room and board. But even that was a stretch. You’ll stolen from me and others. You’ve been arrested and gotten in some questionable places.” The father said. “I allowed you to stay, because you were my mistake. But I have long since atoned for it, and I owe you nothing, bastard.”

Rowan clenched his fists, “I might be a bastard, but I’m still a Hofferson!”

Astrid didn’t like the crazed look in the elder Hofferson’s eyes. “You’re 18, you said? You’re an adult now. So you can live on your own.”

“So that’s it? You’re going to kick me out? Fine! Then I’ll tell everyone in town! I’ll tell that everyone that you hate your eldest son, and never gave me a chance! Then we’ll see who comes for—“

The sudden gunshot startled Astrid, and she shrieked in fright. She hadn’t even seen the man reach into the desk drawer, and neither had Rowan.

The father staggered out from his place, swaying slightly and very drunk.

“I always hated you, Rowan. Every time I looked at you, I thought of Germany. And that was the last place I wanted to be again.” The man grabbed the boy by his wrist and dragged him out of the room.

Rowan moaned softly, just barely hanging onto life.

“You may have been a Hofferson, but the only thing you inherited was our curse. The curse of tragedy. Killing you now is a mercy you will never understand.” He yanked his dying son up the stairs in the East Tower. “We have a duty, a duty to break this curse, but you would never be able to. You say you want to study in America? I doubt it. You’ve been selfish your whole life. I don’t trust you.”

At this point, they had reached the North Tower, and Astrid watched as the father stood Rowan up on his feet.

Hiccup appeared nearby, watching in shock in horror. “Elis? What’s going on? What are you doing?”

Elis didn’t respond. He heaved Rowan to lean against the railing. “You’ve bothered me over and over about this tower. And now you’ll see first hand the horror it contains!” And with that, he shoved his son over the edge and down in to the abyss.

“Elis!” Hiccup shouted at him.

The tower began to burn deep down.

Elis held his arms out. “There you go, you miserable pit. I give you my son…and in exchange, spare my newborn child from this curse. Let him be happy the rest of his days!”

When Astrid returned to the stairs, she fell over, weeping openly. The Finn he was talking about was her Uncle. He had had an older brother, but probably never knew. That explained the skeleton she had seen with Dagur.

“No more…I don’t want to see anymore…” She cried.

“ **Oh but I still have so much to show you. Don’t you want to see what your father looked like when he was mauled?** ” A deep voice echoed inside of her head.

“No! I don’t want to see anymore!”

Regardless of her protests, she felt the ground change underneath her, and footsteps approaching.

“These stairs just go on forever, huh?” She heard her father say.

Astrid vehemently shook her head. “I won’t look! No matter what you do!”

The door to Mildew’s hovel creaked open.

“NO!” Astrid screamed in vain. “NO NO NO!!” Her voice did nothing to drown out the tormented shrieks her father was making.

“ **Sensitive little one, aren’t we? And you were doing so well**.”

Astrid gripped her skull. “Get out of my head! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!”

“ **Would you like to know what tragedy will befall you? Every Hofferson has at least one. As you’ve seen.** ”

“Not me.” She snarled. “I’m ending our curse. I’m ending it all, Drago! I’ve come this far, and I’m not stopping now!”

“ **Sensitive, but stubborn. Just like a Hofferson. Funny that in their final moments, they always fight death**.” 

Astrid bade her feet to move, and trudged onward.

“ **I thought you said you didn’t want to see anymore?** ”

“I don’t,” she grit out, despite the thickness in her throat. “But if I want to get to Hiccup, I have to go on.”

“ **I should have known. You have the same stench of the young chief. Hopelessly in love.** ”

Astrid did not heed his words, but hurried faster down the stairs.

“ **And in denial, it seems**.” He taunted. 

“Either leave me alone, or come out and fight!” She hissed back. “I refuse to play games!”

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard a hideous chuckle. “ **If you insist**.”

Almost immediately, Astrid fell to her knees again and choked. It was impossible to breathe. She grasped at her throat, desperate for air.

With horror, Astrid felt something crawling up her throat and into her mouth. Cold fingers touched her lips as a arm forced it’s way out of her mouth. She had never experienced this much pain before, and she doubted she ever would again.

Then finally, she was free and she collapsed on the stairs.

“ **I’ll give you a minute to breathe**.” He chuckled darkly. “ **It’s only fair. Besides, you’re the only Hofferson to make it down here. I don’t want to kill you preemptively**.”

Taking huge, gasping breaths, Astrid staggered to her feet and collected her axe from the ground. Though, at the sight of Drago, she trembled uneasily. He was huge. Much larger than Alvin had been. And she could scarcely believe he had come out of her.

“ **I’ll give you a hint**.” He smiled. “ **My size is dependent on how much fear you have. And judging by how small _you_ are, I say…you’re terrified.** ”

Astrid tightened the grip on her axe, trying to get a hold of herself. She puffed out her chin. “It’s an awful trick. Psyching me out before fighting me. Showing me all those terrible things? You’re nothing but a rotten cheater.”

He smiled and leaned in closer. “ **It’s not cheating if I’m doing my job**.” 

“And I’m doing mine!” With newfound confidence, she launched from the stairway and embedded her axe into his skull, and dragged it down. He screamed at her, waving his arms around, but shrinking in size. Soon, he had returned to his proper height. Still hulking, but less awful than he had been. His shouting dulled as he lowered his arms. He blinked his eyes sluggishly. “ **I suppose, after a thousand years…I’ve lost my touch. On a child no less**.”

“I _was_ scared,” She answered honestly, “but not anymore.”

Drago closed his eyes slowly, and the utter blackness surrounding them faded away.

The ground was completely solid under her feet, and showed no inkling of being another vision.

“ **I don’t have to be afraid anymore…** ” He whispered. His body started to dissolve, much like Dagur’s had. “ **No one else does either. Thank you, Hofferson…** ”

“You’re welcome.”

Then, she was all alone. One huge door, locked, sat in front of her, while two doors stood either side. Now, to find the key.


	10. New Feelings

I listen to the Jane Eyre (2011) soundtrack while writing.

—

“Hiccup?” Astrid asked softly, not to bring calamity upon herself. “Are you here?”

She peaked in the right door, which easily gave way when she pressed on it. It opened with a creak. By the light of her lamp, she saw several gadgets and gizmos. Tools and sketches laid strewn about. No doubt, this was Hiccup’s room. But where was he?

Back in the main room, Astrid peered over to the left door. She snuck closer and looked in the window. Cold green eyes stared back at her, surrounded by wrinkles and red hair. To this day, she had never met Stoick, but she was familiar with his face.

“Chief? Chief Stoick?”

He blinked lazily at her, like there was not a thought in his head.

“My name is Astrid, Astrid Hofferson. You knew my Uncle Finn.”

“...Finn...” he spoke.

“Yes…I’m the master of the house now.”

He crinkled his brow, thoughtful, then he spoke with a dry voice. “…Why are you here?”

“I’m looking for Hiccup. Your son.”

Stoick closed his eyes, as if he had to recall long lost information. “Hiccup…”

“Yes.”

“I locked him in…for his own safety.”

She got closer to him, wrapping her hands around the bars. “Locked him in where?”

He glanced over to the huge iron door that laid in the middle of the room. “His heart has been broken. Like so many before him. He fell in love…my poor, wayward son.”

Astrid felt her mouth pull into a grimace. How much pain could he been in? Thinking that she was dead?

“I’m the one who broke his heart.” She claimed. “I had no say so in the matter…but I’m here to fix it now.”

Stoick studied her, earnestly. “It’s not so easy to fix a broken heart. Especially one that hasn’t loved in a thousand years.”

She nodded, holding out her hand. “But how can I fix it, if I don’t try?”

“I can see sincerity in you. And if it were any other man, a kind heart like yours could do. But my Hiccup is not just any man.” He reached out, and took her hand in his calloused pair. “His whole life, Hiccup has been haunted.”

She furrowed her brow. “Haunted? Isn’t _he_ doing the haunting?”

Stoick shook his head, his hands shaking in desperation. “The druids saw it, his nightmare. No matter how kind, how smart, how clever…it’s always there. Waiting to devour him.”

A nightmare? He had never spoken about that before. “What? What is?”

Stoick placed a key in her hand, and closed her fingers around it. “We mustn’t speak it’s name. It alone is Hiccup’s to deal with.”

Astrid took the key in hand, and stepped away from the door.

Just like that, Stoick returned to his distant gaze, like an ever vigilant mountain.

The key was nearly identical to the one for the tower. It was black, iron, and felt like anything but a normal key. Quickly, before she lost her resolve, she pressed the key into the lock. The door cracked and slid, stone against stone, on the floor.

Inside was cavernous. It seemed to go on for miles. But one thing was certain, it was _hot_. Heat attacked her and she swallowed thickly against it. Looking around, she sought out her friend.

“Hiccup?”

“….not here…” She heard his voice, distantly.

“Hiccup!”

She heard him moan, and hurried her steps.

She finally found him. He laid on his side, face to the ground, with his hands hiding him.

“Hiccup…? Are you alright?”

“She’s not here…she’s not here…” He said aloud, his voice breaking. “She’s never coming back…never…”

Astrid gasped. “Hiccup…” Then she knelt, and touched him. “I’m here. I’m here! Toothless and Eret saved me. I’m alright!”

“She’s not real!” He shouted. “She’s just like all the others…she’s just tormenting you…”

Astrid gripped his shoulder a little harder, and shook him. “Don’t you dare shut me out, Hiccup! I came all the way down here, for you. I’m not leaving!”

Surprising her, Hiccup swung his arm back, his nails scratching across her cheek. “ **He doesn’t want to speak with you!** ” His voice grated on her like metal scraping against metal. A fire churned in his mouth, while two more pairs of eyes opened on the side of his face.

Astrid held her bleeding face as she scooted away.

“Hiccup…it’s me…” she whispered. “Please…please just listen to me!”

The young chief stood slowly, his body wobbling and growing as he rose. His jaw jutted forward, and his teeth came to points. His skin turned green and scaly.

Astrid clambered to her feet and started to run to the exit. She had left her axe behind. But as she approached the threshold, a giant, mace-like tail fell onto the floor, and forbade her movement.

She swiveled around, coming face to face with what had once been her Hiccup. A monster of a dragon. She’d never even imagined anything so horrendous in her life. The hulking mass filled the cavern with spines and ash. It almost froze her in place.

The cavern was illuminated by the fire from his jaw. All six eyes were on her.

“I’m not afraid of you,” She said. “I’m not afraid.”

Her legs trembled severely, and the tears came without control. Of course she was afraid, she was looking death in the face. He reared up and let out a cacophonous roar, the castle walls rumbling in it’s wake. Astrid pressed her hand over her ears in protest.

The heat surged again, and she could see the room glowing even with her eyes closed. She dared a glance and saw a stream of fire coming from the dragon’s mouth, setting the room ablaze.

Astrid leapt to safety behind the dragon’s tail, and covered the back of her head.

When the fire ceased, she could see several torches lining the walls burning. The room looked even bigger, and the dragon even more ferocious.

It lifted it’s tail and sought her out with a growl, the mouth still aflame. 

“I’m not afraid of you,” she spoke again. “But…I am afraid…of loosing him.” She swallowed.

The fire dimmed slightly, as the dragon listened to her words.

“I haven’t known Hiccup long. But it feels like I’ve known him all my life. I…he’s been here, all along.” She touched her chest. “So loosing him…it’s like loosing a part of me.”

The dragon growled, lowering it’s head towards her. “So, Hiccup, if you’re still there, let me see you one more time. Look into my eyes and see that I’m here. That I came for you.”

The dragon lowered it’s mouth in front of her. It felt like a furnace, but she did not show her pain. She closed her eyes, and reached her hand out.

“Please…”

Hard scales brushed against her fingertips. 

“Astrid…” She heard Hiccup’s voice in front of her. “Do you love me?”

She knew the answer he wanted, but it wasn’t the truth. And the truth is what he deserved. “No. I don’t love you.” A painful moment passed in silence before she continued to speak. “ _Could_ I love you? Yes. Absolutely. You’ve been good to me, and you’re smart and funny…everything I could ever want. But I never allowed myself to think like that, because I don’t want to get hurt.” She scrunched her eyes. “What happens when the curse is lifted? Do you return to life? Or do you pass on? How could I love you, only for you to leave me?”

The cold scales resting on her hand disappeared, only for fingers to replace them moments later. They intertwined with hers, intimately, soothingly. 

“Astrid…”

She finally opened her eyes, to find Hiccup looking at her with pain and adoration. “It is you. You’re not a vision.”

Gently, she raised her hands to touch his cheeks. They were warm, as they had always been, but his skin felt otherworldly. Tangible, but not quite solid as her own. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

He wrapped his arms around her. This hug was deceptively sturdy. For when she went to squeeze him back, her hands were absorbed into his skin like water. And for that moment, she realized she had forgotten he was a ghost.

“Nevertheless,” he began. “I love you. In my thousands of years, no one has come close to being as wonderful as you. And I couldn’t help it. Body or not, I fell in love with you.”

He didn’t pull away. For this was as real as his touch could be, and he wanted to feel her. Just for a moment.

“I would spend another thousand years as I have, just to spend another moment like this with you.”

She wanted to cry. Right then and there. “I’m sorry…”

He shook his head. “You came for me, and that’s all I could ever ask for.” Then he pulled away and looked at her. The lamp she wore illuminated her face from below, and he could see the visible bruises she had accumulated as badges of honor. Her cheek still bleed with the scratch he had delivered. His eyes widened at that point and he seized her arms. “Oh gods Astrid! You actually made it here!? But the—How—you—how?!?!?!?!”

She smiled at him. “Well, it wasn’t easy…or fun. But Gobber lent me an axe, and Snotlout brought me food halfway through…” She sighed. “Why couldn’t you just stay in the chapel?”

He looked away, ashamed, and rubbed circles on her arm with his thumb. “I’m sorry. I…that dragon you saw, that’s what we call the Red Death. She was the queen of the dragons before we were friends with them. Then I befriended Toothless, and we defeated her. But I lost my leg in the battle. Every night after, I had nightmares of the fight, over and over again. Whenever I doubted myself, it was the dragon speaking. When I was cursed, it only became more vivid and I…I started bringing it to life. My anxieties and my insecurities…they’d awaken the beast in here. No matter where I was in the castle…it was always listening to me, waiting to pounce.”

Astrid waited patiently, soaking up every word.

“When you were a little girl, I saw you in the South Tower one night. You were getting a glass of water, and you looked quite scared. So I showed myself to you. You were so friendly and nice. All you said was that you were lost. You took my hand, and together we walked to the East Tower. That’s when you saw me for what I was…and I made you cry. Finn came shortly after, and he yelled at me. He had never yelled at me before…” Something troubling was stirring in his eyes as the temperature in the room began to rise. “I knew then, that you would be my downfall. Whenever you called to speak to Finn, I was there, listening. I held onto every word, every description of the books you read, the friends you made…it was like water to me. Getting to know you, was the closest I had ever felt to freedom.”

Astrid stared at him, barely believing what he was saying.

“And when I thought I lost you…I lost all hope, and the Red Death consumed me.” He sighed. “I’m sorry Astrid…I didn’t mean to do this to you.”

She smiled at him, forgiveness in her voice. “It’s alright. The woman you were in love with was kidnapped, and there was nothing you could do about it. That’s a perfectly good reason to be upset.”

He huffed. “I suppose.”

It was then that a gust of wind blew in from the deepest part of the cavern, accompanied by a rumbling sound. It blew out the lit sconces.

“What’s that?”

Hiccup moved in front of her, protectively.

From the distance, another door came rushing towards them.

“The room…it’s shrinking.” He noted.

“It does that?”

“Not that I’ve ever seen…”

The door stopped mere feet from them, and waited. It was wooden, and looked very very old. Celtic knot work decorated it.

Hiccup stared. “I didn’t know this was here.”

“Should we open it?” She asked.

He shrugged. “I…I think so. Why else would it have just appeared like this?”

Though he said it, neither of them moved.

“Maybe you should,” He urged. “I think it’s here for you.”

She nodded in agreement, took hold of the handles, and tugged.

The smell hit her first, followed by trepidation.

Of course, the only way to see was a beam of light. At first, she saw a face, white eyes, stumbling toward her. She let out a shriek as Hiccup wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders.

Then the figure ambled away and Astrid ceased her screaming. Urged on by Hiccup, she swept across the room with her lamp, studying the scene before them.

Inside the room, 90 or so real, human bodies roamed around. Well, some roamed, while others laid in various stages of decay. Some mummified, some bloated, and many in-between. The living ones sauntered, soulless, naked, and lost, drooling with each step they took.

Astrid covered her mouth and nose in an effort not to vomit. Surely, this nightmarish vision was the price to pay to break the curse.

Coming out of his shock, Hiccup panted, “Our bodies…it’s our bodies! Astrid!” He grabbed her. “You did it! You—“ he tore away from her, and ran to the door to the tower, shouting. “Our bodies! We found our bodies! Dad! Gobber! Bucket! Mulch!” He screamed every name he could think of as he ran from the room.

Not to be left behind with the horror, Astrid also fled from the room.

Stoick’s ghost was soon there to greet her, with a wide and proud smile. He said nothing but breezed past her into the room. She stayed back, slightly hiding behind the door frame. From the darkness, she heard someone taking a gasping breath, and then Stoick was running towards her.

“Astrid! Oh lass! You did it!”

Rightly startled by the naked man, Astrid froze in place as he hurried to her and scooped her up in a hug. “You beautiful, smart, clever girl!” He praised, with a kiss to her hair. “A thousand years, and I never thought I’d breath again! I’m going…I’m going to eat a whole cow by myself! And drink a barrel of mead! And sleep for three days straight!”

He put her down and wandered back to his cell, ranting about all the things he couldn’t wait to do.

From behind, more spirits were making there way down the tower and into the crypt.

Astrid moved away, giving them room to unite with their flesh and blood. The dark North Tower was now illuminated with the light of day from the windows way up high. It seemed that the tower itself had shrank as well, with the coming of the door to the crypt. Now, it was scantly bigger than the other towers in the castle, and the ceiling was visible from all the way down below.

A parade of vikings were making their way down the spiral stairs, some running, some so far gone that they could only saunter. But as they entered the crypt, only a handful came back out. Each whooping and hollering. Astrid stood patiently by as she was showered in hugs and kisses by naked vikings. This day would certainly haunt her for days to come, but for now, she was just glad to see so many people happy.

She witnessed friends pinching each other, feeling their beards, and even a man punch his friend hard enough to cause blood. After the pain passed, the victim laughed heartily and slapped his buddy.

She almost felt like she didn’t belong in this sacred moment, and she quietly made her way back up the stairs.

As she travelled, she spotted relics of the guards. A scythe, a part of chained cuffs, an empty cell. They had all been freed as well.

On the way, Ruff, Tuff, Snotlout, and Fishlegs all ran passed her, in a race to see who could get down there first. Then Hiccup and Gobber were walking at a leisurely pace after.

“Good going Lass! I never doubted you for a second!” Gobber praised.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Of course, Gobber.”

Hiccup looked at her with the biggest smile he could muster. “I am so proud of you.”

She grinned toothily. “Cut the chit chat, and go get your body back.”

He saluted her and continued down to the crypt.

When Astrid reached the East Tower hall, she was tackled in a hug from her mother. “Astrid! Oh thank God you’re alright!”

Astrid sighed in her arms and hugged her back. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“I was so scared! When I finally got through to Eret, he said you were dealing with the ghosts! You’re father told me all about what he saw down there…oh no! You’re bleeding!”

“It’s nothing.” She assured.

“Nothing?! Look at you! You’re covered in bruises!” She tugged her up the tower to her room. “Come on, we’re going to get you patched up!”

Astrid looked over to Eret with a shrug.

“Glad to see you made it back in one piece!” He called after.

In the bathroom, Mrs. Hofferson dabbed a hydrogen-peroxide soaked cotton ball on her cheek. Besides the internal bleeding, she had survived the North Tower moderately unscathed. While she was being patched up, her father watched from the doorway, concerned about what had transpired in the Tower.

“Did it get you too? That…that thing?” Axel asked.

“Mildew? No. He frightened me…but because I was the Master of the castle, he let me pass. It was some of the others that got me.”

“ _Others?_ ” Her mom asked, horrified.

And so Astrid explained it all. Starting from the first day she saw the light on in the tower, to this very moment. She showed them Finn’s journals and told them about Viggo. She kept most of the horrors of the Tower to herself, though.

“So, the curse is lifted now? No more ghosts?”

“No more ghosts!” She confirmed. “Now their bodies have been freed, the vikings will return to life.” She paused. “Well, some of them. Some of the other bodies I saw down there weren’t really…moveable.”

Phillis covered her mouth with a little gasp.

“But it’s alright. They probably feel like they won’t live much longer anyway, right?”

Finally, the Hofferson’s came back down from the Master bedroom, to see about two dozen, now clothed, resurrected vikings waiting for her.

“Well,” stated Stoick, his arm around his wife. “This is all that’s left. A lot of the folks that left early on…their bodies didn’t make it. But I think they are happy like that. They’ve moved on.”

Astrid smiled with a knowing nod.

“So, Mistress of the Castle, will you allow us to stay?” The chief bowed gallantly.

She chuckled. “Of course! But don’t think I won’t put you all to work!”

Stoick laughed loudly, giving Astrid warm, fuzzy feelings inside. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, lass!”

It was just then that the small crowd started to part with gasps of fear and sadness. Finally, Hiccup emerged, still in his ghastly, skeletal form. He looked absolutely devastated.

“Son…where’s your body?”

Hiccup choked out in return. “I…I don’t know.” He began to sob, and hide his face in his hands. “I can’t find it…I can’t find my body.”

 


	11. New Search

“I can’t find my body.” After ageless centuries, everyone else was now where they were supposed to be. And yet, poor Hiccup was left behind. That was plenty of a good reason to be upset.

His mother, Valka, was immediately present. “It’s alright, baby. We’ll find it.”

Mrs. Hofferson, also being motherly, asked the question out of habit. “Where was the last place you saw it?”

Hiccup gave her a look, and answered. “I was wearing it.”

Phillis shrank a little.

“Let’s go get some flashlights,” suggested Astrid. “The crypt was really dark.”

Hiccup nodded, optimistically. “Okay, yeah.”

So Astrid had her phone, and Eret went to get some other lights and extension cords. Then the group all headed back down the tower into the crypt.

With the new light, Astrid had a new chance to look into the room. First, the stone floor stretched out in front of her, before a column met her lights. Another column was not that far away. The tops ended with an arch, which repeated on and one several times into the back of the room. A very thin layer of water covered the floor, reflecting the columns and arches and creating an odd illusion of space.

Astrid frowned. “Where are the others? There was a bunch of…long dead bodies down here…wasn’t there?”

Stoick answered. “When the souls rejoined their bodies, they dissolved into dust. Time just caught up to them.”

“So in theory,” said Axel. “Any bones or remnants should be Hiccup.”

Hiccup shuttered. He hoped there was more than just a few bones left of his body. He was really rather hoping that he would be alive.

Axel and Phillis also turned on their cellphones and the group split as light spread out over the cave.

“Bring the light over here,” Astrid heard someone call.

“Did you find it?” Hiccup asked anxiously.

“…no, false alarm. It’s just a rock.”

Hiccup deflated.

“Well, it can’t just be gone!” Boomed Stoick. “Everyone else’s was here! Even if someone took it by accident, there would still be something here!”

Suddenly, the cavern filled with much brighter light from the door. Nearly everyone flinched heavily.

“Sorry,” stated Eret, standing behind a flood light. “I should have prepared you for that.” 

With the crypt illuminated, the group spread out and scanned every inch of the floor.

After about an hour, almost everyone had given up. And yet Hiccup tried to feel along the floor for anything.

Astrid spoke from where she was leaning against a column. “Um, you said those who had left early…their bodies were decaying. Right?”

“Aye, it appears that way. Hamish, who was the first to leave after…oh, 200 years, he was just bone.”

Hiccup seemed to not notice the exchange as he sifted through the water on his hands and knees.   
“Hiccup?”

He paused.

“Didn’t you say…you were the first one to leave?”

Valka gasped, her hands flying to her lips. “Oh Odin, I forgot about that!”

Hiccup didn’t move from his spot on the floor, but asked in a very quiet voice. “How long was I gone, back then?”

“Nearly a hundred years,” Answered Stoick. “It was startling when you came back.”

“So if Hamish was just bone…” He began. But he didn’t finish. His fingers curled into fists, his knuckles pressing against the floor. “Is there nothing left of me?” His voice was just a whisper, full of only sorrow.

“Hiccup…” Astrid reached for him, but he leapt to his feet and turned on her.

“I don’t need your pity!” He screamed, his body shaking with anger and frustration. “I don’t need anything! Not…not a thing…” his anger was quickly spent, and his nearly tangible form began to fade. “I don’t even exist anymore…so why should I care?” He hurried from the room, and disappeared into his cell.

For a moment, no one knew what to say.

“That can’t be right,” said Phillis, “there’s mummies that are buried in graves like this, that are older. If this room was magically sealed, like Astrid thinks, then nothing should have gotten in to harm the body.”

Eret chimed in. “Even if Hamish’s body was a hundred years older, in these conditions, his would be here, too.”

As the adults discussed plans to search the rest of the castle inside and out, Astrid snuck back into the main tower, and knocked on Hiccup’s cell.

“Hiccup? It’s me, Astrid. Can I come in?”

When he didn’t answer, Astrid pushed the door open on her own and wandered in. The door closed behind her, leaving darkness in it’s wake. She felt around with her hands until she felt a slab of wood, a bed, and then finally a warm wall of air.

“Hiccup…”

“Don’t talk to me like that.” He reprimanded.

“Like what?”

“Softly. Tenderly…It’s more than I can handle.”

She reached her hand up to where she assumed his head was, and felt his hair. It wasn’t hair exactly, more like the seaweed at the bottom of a clean lake. Too soft to feel like anything at all.

“I just…don’t know what to say. I want to help, but I don’t know what to say.” She sighed. “Your dad and the others are going to split up and check the rest of the castle.”

“If it was anywhere else, we would have found it by now.”

“You never know! The Druids hid this room away, what if there’s another hidden room? Hmmm?”

He didn’t respond more than a grunt, and she only continued to play with his hair.

“Astrid?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. For everything. But I need to be alone right now.”

Astrid sighed, and pulled her hand away. “Okay. I get it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Hiccup.” She smiled in comfort. “I understand. I’ll see you later, okay? Whenever you need to talk, you know where to find me.” She rose, and moved to the door.

She’d wondered if he’d be alright.

Days passed, and they were spent trying to get the vikings acclimated to the new world as well as getting the castle ready to host guests. The vikings happily continued their jobs as hired hands within the castle for room and board, with the only condition that they could come and go as they pleased. Most were just satisfied being able to go outside and work in the garden or build things (every day a new piece of furniture entered the castle). Others jumped at the chance to ride with Eret into town, amazed by how things had changed in world. And finally, a group went on a two week hiking trip through the national park to the South. Of course, they came home early with tickets for shooting and trapping wild life, but Astrid didn’t mind paying those off.

The Vikings discovered the internet, and branched out to learn new recipes to cook for the guests. Others wrote songs and practiced dances for entertainment, anything they could do to make the castle a retreat.

This was all done in motivation to thank their new boss.

However, at night, when things calmed down, everyone put in an hour or two to look for Hiccup’s body.

Days turned to weeks, with no sign of even a hair from Hiccup.Many Vikings gave up the search, thinking it was a fruitless endeavor. Yet, Stoick, Valka, Gobber and Astrid faithfully spent the evenings checking the crawl spaces, attics, and wine cellar for any sign of human remains. And as diligent as they were, still there was nothing. Hiccup himself, had resigned to never regaining his body. He had sighed one day and said, “I’ve been a ghost this long. It’s what I’m best at,” and then picked himself back up by his bootstraps. “I want everyone to stop wasting their time looking for something that doesn’t exist and instead live your lives. This is when you have the chance to do all the things you’ve always wanted to do. Don’t let me hold you back.”

Valka was quick to rush to him and cup his face. “We search because we love you. We want you to live too.”

He smiled at her. “Well…I’m not going to stop looking. I have 8 hours a day where everyone is sleeping. I’ll have to occupy myself somehow.”

So, everyone left him to it, and he showed no outward signs of the melancholy that gripped him so fiercely earlier.

Halloween came and went. Hiccup being the main source of entertainment and using his skills to wow and amaze their guests. The North Tower was decorated like a haunted house with fake skeletons that jumped out and scared people. The entrance was guarded by Toothless, who had remained in his gargoyle form, since Hiccup was still cursed. Those that made it to the end got candy. It was all very fun and quaint.

Revenue came pouring in after that. Folks from all over the UK started taking holidays to come stay at Hofferson castle for the weekend. The idea of staying at a haunted castle was too fun of an opportunity to pass it seemed, as more and more reservations came calling in. Everything seemed fine…

Until one day.

“Excuse me,” Astrid overheard a guest say to Stoick. “Are you the owner of the Castle?”

“No lass, that would be Ms. Hofferson.” He beckoned to her.

Astrid, putting on her customer service face, smiled at the woman. “Hello, what can I help you with?”

The guest furrowed her brow. “My sons really wanted to stay here for the weekend, and of course I jumped at the chance of a fun filled family weekend…but there was an incident last night. The castle isn’t really haunted…is it?”

Astrid crossed her arms. “What kind of incident?”

“My son Jacob heard weeping and moaning coming from our tower. It got louder and louder until…this thing came into our room. It was…hideous and gruesome.”

“What did it look like?”

“I think it was a man, but it was emaciated and the skin was just hanging on it. My older son Harry said it was just a hologram, but it responded to him.”

“What did it say?”

“It asked if it could have his body.”

Astrid winced and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was a busy Sunday, plenty of guests were checking in, while many more were checking out. She hadn’t even thought to check on Hiccup.

Stoick seemed to have the same idea. “I haven’t seen Hiccup all day. I’ll go see if I can find him.”

“Alright,” Astrid agreed. Then she returned to the woman, “How can I best make this up to you?”

“I would like a refund, please. My husband has a heart condition and that…thing didn’t bode well for him. We weren’t expecting to be scared in our own room.”

“I understand.” Astrid said with a disarming smile. “I can refund you, no problem.”

After that was taken care of, Stoick returned, not looking optimistic.

“Well, what is it?”

“No one has seen him. I checked his room, but nothing. I have the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs searching for him now.”

“It’s weird. He was fine not too long ago. I wonder what changed?”

“Maybe he didn’t want to act anymore.”

That was a heartbreaking thought.

Astrid had a thought, “what about Viggo?”

Stoick sneered. “What about him?”

“Is it possible that he did something with Hiccup’s body?”

Stoick grew silent and thoughtful. “I haven’t the slightest. But there is a way to find out.”

The next day, Astrid called the prison that Viggo had been sentenced too, while Stoick and Gobber listened over the speaker.

A woman answered, “Berwyn Men’s Prison.”

“Hello, my name is Astrid Hofferson. Is there a way to get in contact with a Prisoner just to ask them a question? We need his help locating something.”

“We offer a voicemail service. You can leave a message on a private line and the inmate will return your call.”

“That would be amazing!”

“Do you have the inmate ID number?”

Astrid blanched. “No, actually, I don’t.”

“Then the name?”

“Viggo Ryker.”

“Alright, may I put you on hold as I look that up?”

“Of course.”

Soothing music came over the speaker.

“What if Viggo doesn’t answer us back?” Asked Gobber, with good reason.

“Well, he did want the curse to be lifted. He might be more cooperative now.” Said Astrid.

“And if he puts up a fight, I’ll go down to the prison and knock some sense into him!” Threatened Stoick.

“Let’s not do that one.”

The line picked up and a man was on the line. “Are you still there Miss Hofferson?”

“Uh, yes!”

“My name is Dr. Jeffery Van Ravensway. I’m the director of this facility. Can I ask what your relationship with Viggo Ryker was?”

“Uh, acquaintance, I guess?”

“Do you know if he had any living relatives? Next of kin? Spouse?”

She glanced to Stoick, who shrugged. “Uh, not that we know of. Why?”

“Well, Mr. Ryker died last week. He listed no emergency contact information, so we didn’t know who to tell.”

“He died?” Astrid asked, surprised. “How? If you don’t mind me asking…”   
“It’s…very odd. We didn’t even get the chance to get an autopsy before the body dissolved.”

“What…?”

“He just….aged rapidly all of a sudden. We had him for mere months, but he went from looking in his late 20’s to ancient!”

“Did he say anything? Before he…?”

“Once he started aging, he started being really nice to everyone. When his psychiatrists asked him what was going on, he just said that someone had lifted his curse.” The man cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I believe in magic and curses, but that…I might just have to change my mind.” The man laughed a little over the line. “I’m sorry, this is incredibly unprofessional. Normally we don’t disclose this sort of information like this, but like I said, we have no contact for him. At least someone knows now.”

“Alright, if I find any family, I’ll be sure to pass on the information.”

“Thank you, Miss Hofferson. If they would like to call us here, we can explain everything.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“Good day.”

After she hung up, the small group sat in silence for a few minutes before Gobber declared, “well, that was a bust!”

Stoick scrunched up his mouth in thought. “Ya know, I don’t think Viggo did have anything to do with it. There wasn’t any time for him to get all the way down in the tower past all the guards…and for what? Just to steal one body? It doesn’t make sense anymore.”

“Yeah, now that you say it.” Astrid shrugged.

“It was a good thought.” Gobber offered, “a better lead then anyone else had.” 

Yet, Astrid felt like it was a waste of time and hope.

As time passed, Hiccup remained missing, no matter how much begging and pleading his family did. Even in the middle of the night, when his moans echoed through the halls, Astrid would awake and call out to him. He would not respond.

It was one week after that, Fishlegs had a sudden realization. Everyone seemed to notice, as he let out a loud ‘oh!’ and banged the table as he stood suddenly.

“What is it Fishlegs?”

“I just had an idea where Hiccup’s body might be!”

Stoick stood suddenly as well. “What?! Where?!”

“The boat!”

It seemed like no one else followed. “What boat?”

“The boat! Our boat! The one we came on!”

Stoick frowned. “That boat probably sunk centuries ago. Who knows if there’s anything even left of it.”

“But what if that’s where Hiccup’s body is?!”

Stoick sighed, “Well, it is worth a dive, I suppose.”

“At this time of year?” Gobber finally spoke up. He stood and went to the window, pulling up the curtain and gesturing to the lake that surrounded the back half of the castle. Ice formed around the edges while chunks floated in the center. “Because I certainly don’t want to swim in that.”

Astrid thought a moment. “I might have an idea. Give me a minute.” And she took out her phone and flipped through her contacts.

The phone rang a few times before it connected.

“Hey Dale! How are you?”

The voice on the other line was unintelligible to the others siting in the library.

“Great! I’m calling because I remembered during dinner when you visited you spoke of a new hobby in scuba diving…would you be willing to get some practice over here at the castle lake? We’re looking for something…I mean, I suppose we could wait until summer, but we were hoping for as soon as possible…Oh I wouldn’t mind compensating you for it then. It looks kind of frigid out there. You have a wet suit, right?…Awesome! When are you free?…Friday afternoon. Awesome, we’ll see you then! Thanks so much!”

Friday afternoon rolled around, and Astrid waited anxiously for her cousin. She wandered over to the North Tower, pausing in the stairwell to stare at the statue.

“You’ve been here all this time. Watching. What do you know that we don’t?”

But being a statue, the man said nothing.

The heavy doorbell rang, and Astrid hurried from the tower.

In the lobby, Eret opened the door and let Dale in.

“Hey Astrid,” he greeted casually.

“Hey! Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” he smiled, “as long as you got your ghost problem solved.”

Astrid laughed sheepishly. “That’s the thing. It’s _almost_ solved.”

Dale raised a single eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘almost’?”

“Well…there’s one we’re working on. That’s why I asked you here, actually.”

Dale crossed his arms, listening.

“In order for the ghost to move on, he has to get his body back. We’ve looked everywhere for it. The only place left is the lake. Specifically the wreckage of a viking ship right outside the North Tower.”

“Are you certain it’ll be there?”

Astrid could only shrug. “If it’s not, then…we have no idea where else it could be. This is literally our last resort.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility to put on a new character.”

“Yeah, I know, but we needed someone to go down there, and I don’t really want to trust a stranger with this…delicate situation.”

He nodded. “Ah, gotcha. Well, I brought up my fishing boat, too. Didn’t know if you had one. You’re welcome to come sit on the boat if you want. Don’t know how much fun it’ll be.”

“I was hoping I could sit on the boat. I’m kinda anxious.”

“Anxious it’ll be there? Or anxious that it won’t?”

Dale always had a way of pointing out things she hadn’t wanted to think about. “I…I don’t know.”

He simply nodded in understanding.

She shook her head. “Well, are you ready now then?”

“Yeah, I just need to get my suit on, and we can go out. You might want to get a jacket, it’s a bit chilly.”

And so the two motored out to the North Tower, where the wall showed where the castle had been breached. The bricks were patchy and mismatched the rest of the Tower.

“This should be the spot.” Astrid announced, peering in the water. “I have no idea how deep it is. Just be careful.”

Dale grinned, preparing his mask. “Oh, it’ll be fine. I’m just stoked to dive by a Viking shipwreck.” He checked his watch. “Alright. It’s 2 now. I have about enough air for an hour, but I like to come up at the 45 minute mark. I have this mesh bag to put any bones or treasure I might find.”

“I don’t think you’ll find any treasure after all these years.”

“Let me live a little,” He scolded. Carefully, he positioned himself on the edge of the boat. “Wish me luck.” And he dove in with a splash.

Once he disappeared, it became eerily silent. Only a faint rolling of waves on shore could be heard. A gust cold air rushed at her, chilling her right down to the bone, even with the coat, boats, hat, and gloves.

This was going to be a long hour.

Some 10 minutes later, Dale returned briefly. He said nothing, only heaved a ancient viking shield over the edge of the boat, and then dove right back down into the water.

The shield was rusty, and some of the wood had rotted, but most of it was still intact. Whatever it had been painted had faded with the salt.

Again, he returned long enough to surface and drop a sword on deck, then he disappeared. It was obvious he had found the wreck, now it was just a matter of him finding Hiccup’s remains.

Another 10 minutes passed, and then another. Then the 45 minute mark came, but he didn’t surface. Then close to an hour went by. Astrid swallowed nervously. What was taking him? Did he get stuck? Should she try to go in after him?

But only a minute later, Dale surfaced and grabbed onto the edge of the boat. He dropped his bag onto the deck, and then frantically tried to pull himself up, kicking and shaking the whole time.

Astrid acted immediately and yanked him up into the boat, while Dale removed his mask and goggles. He panted heavily and coughed.

“You okay?” Astrid asked.

He didn’t answer for a while, just threw his head back and sucked in several deep breaths. “I’m…I’m fine.” His tone conveyed otherwise. “Here, this is all I found.” He gestured to the mesh bag on the floor.

Carefully, Astrid opened it, only to reveal a skull.

“It’s all I could find.”

Astrid nodded. “But it is what we’re looking for. I think this will be enough. Thank you.” She smiled.

“Promise me…you won’t go down there by yourself.” He replied.

This confused Astrid. Didn’t he say it was going to be fine? “What?”

“I found the ship fine. It’s right down there. After I found the sword and shield, I travelled out a bit, and found a bunch of…statues.”

“Statues? What did they look like?”

He furrowed his brow. “It was kind of hard to tell, since they were worn, but they looked like…hooded people?”

Astrid’s eyes widened.

“They were really big. And…” He shivered as he reached for the towel. “Look, let’s go back to the castle, I don’t want to be anywhere near that…thing.”

“The statues?”

“No…those are the least of my concerns.” He crawled over and started the engine, then sped away from the Tower as soon as possible.

Not a word was spoken when they returned. Dale took off his wet suit and donated the sword and shield to the castle, and then prepared to leave.

“Wait? That’s it?” She asked. “You don’t want to stay for a bit? Gobber’s making a nice big dinner, and it’s at least an hour back to Manchester.”

Dale was quiet, then replied. “I’ll come again some day, when this ghost problem is solved.” And he headed to toward the door.

“Wait!” She begged. “Before you go…will you come look at something?”

He was skeptical, but followed her to the North Tower.

“Isn’t this the forbidden tower?” He asked, before daring to step foot into the hall.

“It was, but the curse is…mostly lifted.” At the other end of the hall, Astrid opened the door, showing the statue in all it’s splendor. “So…did the statues look like this?”

Dale nodded. “Yeah, for the most part. Maybe a little smaller. There was several, and they were laid out in a grid.” He glanced down to see that she had brought the skull with her down here. “You gonna see if that works?”

“Yeah,” she stated, setting the bone on the ground. She took several steps back, and then called out. “Hiccup! Hiccup, we think we found your remains! Come out!”

It was quiet for a moment, before Stoick, Valka, and Gobber came rushing down the hall. “We heard ya shouting lass! Did ya really find es bones?!”

“A skull, at least. But it should be enough.”

A glowing vapor appeared, rolling in like a cloud, until it took a visible form of a boy. Of Hiccup. He said nothing.

“Look,” Astrid pointed. “Is that your skull? Is that you?”

Hiccup reached down and grasped the skull in his wispy hands. He stared into the sockets, like he was trying to remember an old friend. Then, he dropped it, letting it crack upon the cement.

“I don’t know those eyes.” He said, before disappearing.

Dale huffed, and turned on his heel. “Well, I got nothing. And I’m not going back in that Bay. Good luck Astrid.” And he hurriedly left before she could stop him.

Astrid just continued to stare at the skull with a shattered dome. Of course it seemed too good to be true. She shook her head and retreated herself.

Who was she kidding? It was hopeless.

That night, Astrid laid awake in bed, staring at the fire. It was back to day one, with more questions without answers. And this time, her Hiccup was suffering alone.

 _Her_ Hiccup? Where had that come from?

She rolled over to stare at the ceiling.

Her feelings for Hiccup had been in a delicate state. She knew what the answer was, ever since he told her that he loved her, they had only ground stronger, even though she tried to stomp them into the dust. Hiccup was just too good of a match for her. It seemed that she was destined to fall in love with him, but never be with him.

Talk about Star-crossed lovers.

She didn’t matter anymore. The wasn’t about getting her happily ever after. This was about Hiccup being about to move on. And once he did, she would too.

So putting her fickle heart to the side, she contemplated what had happened this afternoon with Dale. Especially those damn hooded statues.

Why have so many in the Bay, and only one in the tower?

At this rate, she wouldn’t get any sleep, and so she kicked off her covers and wandered down to the Library. Her phone read 4am, which was a good thing if she wanted to think alone.

But she wasn’t alone, because shortly after she arrived, a wisp billowed in through the wall.

“Oh! Hiccup! Sorry, you startled me.”

The vapor just floated around the room, lacking the strength or focus to take a more finite form.

“I’m sorry about this afternoon, I really thought we had found your body.”

The wisp came closer, circling her.

“Won’t you say something? I haven’t gotten to speak with you for so long…I really miss you, you know?” She reached her hands out, feeling the warmth he left in her skin as he passed by. She let out a sigh, and then made a risky move. “If you want…you can use my body.” Then she immediately blushed after it was said.

Hiccup disappeared from her sight, and convulsion racked her body. Her toes curled as a pleasant heat settled in her chest. Her arms raised, not on her own command, and wrapped around her in a hug. She collapsed onto the settee feeling weak and confused.

Then overwhelming pain took her. A pain of loss and heartbreak, of hopelessness and despair. She knew they were from Hiccup, and she gladly shouldered them, if only to ease his mind.

“You’re safe with me.” She whispered. “I promise, I’ll set you free.”

Then all of a sudden, all the foreign feelings within her disappeared. As she opened her eyes, she found Hiccup, in a more recognizable form, looking at her with something akin to adoration.

“Thank you…I think I can last a little bit longer now.”

Astrid answered breathlessly. “What…did you do?”

“You let me use your body, just for a moment. And that was all I needed to ground myself. It was like…waking up, and now I’ve gone back to sleep again. I was able to breathe and I felt your heart beat. And there’s no one I would have rather shared that moment with….than you.” He leaned and left a whisper of a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you.”

Astrid smiled at him, embarrassed and flattered. “Of course, I’m glad it helped…In all honesty, I’m really glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking…”

“Is that why you’re up so late?”

“Yeah, I can’t sleep. See, earlier, my cousin Dale dove in the bay to see if he could find your body. He found that skull, and along with it, there were a bunch of statues, like the one in the North Tower.”

“Oh really?”

“He said they’re laid out in a grid. What do you think it means?”

He settled on the settee next to her, crossing his legs. “Well…it kind of sounds like a cemetery. But it was a bay when we came here. So there’s no way to know.”

“I thought about it being a cemetery too. Maybe those statues are grave markers.”

“Makes sense.” He nodded. “There were a lot of dead bodies in the Tower. Maybe the druids were just showing respect.”

“To intruders?”

Hiccup shrugged. “Why else?”

Astrid was quiet for a moment, before she jerked upright suddenly. “We’re all idiots!”

Hiccup stared at her, “umm?”

“How do you show where a body has been put away?”

“By…a…grave…marker?” He answered carefully.

Astrid leapt to her feet, and ran from the room. Hiccup, curious and concerned was hot on her tail. She threw open the door to the hall, then to the Tower.

The statue stood before her. Taunting her.

Hiccup caught up to her. “Was I right?”

Astrid studied the highly detailed stone man in front of her. There had to be a trick to it. A handle or a switch…something. “Come on, where is it?”

“What?”

Astrid didn’t answer. She only walked quick steps down to the armory.

“Astrid, what are you doing?”

“It was right in front of us the whole time!” She pulled open the door and scanned the shelves. The axe she used that night trapped in the tower laid on the floor, a thin layer of dust taking root. She took it, not even slowing down, and turned back to the stairs.

“Wait!” Hiccup called. “Don’t do anything brash!”

But Astrid ignored him, as she hurried to the back of the hall. “I’m ending this now! Stay out of my way!” Then she bolted into a sprint, running full speed at the rusty bars.

“Astrid!”

She leapt, pushing off of the railing with one foot, and became airborne. A shout ripped from her throat as her stomach fell to the bottom of the Tower. The face of the statue rapidly approached her, and she buried her axe in the stone.

Immediately, the stone started to crumble under her blade. She began to slip, and found purchase with her feet in the arms. Once she was stable, she ripped the axe out of it’s place and hacked at it again. A chunk of stone fell and she halted.

A new face, one of flesh and bone, laid before her. A familiar, handsome face, that she often fell asleep looking at above her mantle.

Astrid turned and looked over her shoulder where Hiccup’s ghost stood, frozen. She smiled at him and turned back around. Careful not to fall, she touched his cold, solid skin carefully.

“I’m sorry it took so long,” she whispered. “But I finally found you. And I know now…” She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his frozen lips, savoring the feeling.

Before she even pulled away, there was a long cracking sound and the pillar began to quake. Unable to do anything else, Astrid clung to Hiccup.

“Hiccup!” She screamed for help, but his spirit was no where to be found.

The pillar shook violently as the foundation crumbled and together they fell.

“I’ve got you!”

But when they hit the ground, it was a lot less painful than she had expected. The ruble of the statue had returned to what it once was, gold, silver, and precious gems. The treasure the vikings were after when they raided. But she didn’t care much about it, as Hiccup’s motionless body laid within her arms, just barely breathing. “Hiccup? Are you still…?”

He opened his eyes faintly. “Astrid…?”

“Yes! Yes Hiccup! I’m here!” She hugged him fiercely. “I’m with you…”

His hands wrapped around her, and hugged her as well. “I’m sorry, I’m really weak…”

She kissed his forehead, “I don’t care…I thought I’d have to say goodbye…” She absently wiped her wet cheek. “Or maybe I wouldn’t even get the chance to do that.”

“I would have said goodbye, don’t worry.” He brushed her hair away from her cheek. “But I don’t have to. I’d love to stay with you, if you’ll let me.”

“Of course!” she choked. “I love you.”

Hiccup smiled warmly in adoration. “You do? Really?”

She kissed him again, letting her lips linger against his just because she could. “I do. And nothing in 18 lifetimes could make me stop.”


	12. New Life

Roughly a year later.

It was a dark and gloomy night. Rain made a constant downpour, raising the water level in the lake. In Wales, sunset came around 5 o’clock in late October. And here at Hofferson castle a quarter past 8, all was near invisible in the dark and rain.

But tonight was Halloween, a grand Halloween party was in the midst. The castle shown like a beacon in the night, to all of those who were brave enough to venture out into the storm.

“Mala! I’m so glad you could make it!” Astrid cheered, hugging her friend.

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss this halloween party! Not after the smashing success of last year!”

Astrid smiled. With the money that was recovered from the North Tower, Astrid and company had decided to pour it back into the castle, making it a museum during the year, and a haunted maze in the North Tower during the fall. Lasers, holograms, and traps all fell together for a spectacular scare of their guests.

And of course, the life-like ‘animatronic’ dragon in the basement was a nice touch. It was only fair that Toothless also got to be involved in the new life they were creating.

Yes, it seemed like things were finally normal again in the Hofferson castle.

“Oh, we’ve got plenty of surprises in store for the evening.”

“I’m so excited!”

“Well, help yourself to some free food, and the Livery has some select wines for tasting. Make yourself at home.”

There was roughly 40 guests at the party, not including the 20 or so Vikings that worked the floor. The quaint victorian decor remained on the home, and only a few things were added here and there. Track lights under the suits of armor, black lights in the corners, a well placed spiderweb here and there…all just enough to be eerie, but not unwelcoming.

“Oh honey,” Phillis cooed, after she arrived with her husband, “everything looks so good. Just spooky enough!”

Astrid grinned. “I just tried to copy the Haunted Mansion in Disneyworld.”

“Well, the cobwebs are a nice touch. They are fake, right?”

“Yes! Stoick is very anal about the castle being clean. I think some of the others are too.”

“Good, I was going to be angry if that was all real.”

Hiccup joined the group, wearing bloody rags with dirt smeared all over the front. “Hello Phillis, Axel,” He greeted.

“Well hi! What’s this get up?” She snickered.

“Did you forget this was a fancy party?” Axel reprimanded.

“Oh, sorry.” He chuckled, raising his arms. “I was a draugr in the tower. I wiped the makeup off and took off the armor, I just forgot about the clothes.”

“Draugr?” Asked Phillis.

“It’s a viking version of your ‘zombies’. The living undead.”

“Well, this is a _Halloween_ party, you fit right in.”

“Thanks! But this is genuine dirt, so I’m going to get changed.”

“Ah ah!” Phillis interrupted. “Astrid said you both had some important news to share with us. And I can’t wait another moment!” She demanded.

Astrid stifled the snort that threatened to give everything away. She threaded an arm around Hiccup’s and snuggled up to his side. In return, he covered her hand with his and met her eyes with a gaze of adoration. They bumped shoulders coyly.

“Mom…dad…” Astrid began. “Hiccup and I have decided to make the next step…”

Phillis gasped while all the color from Axel’s face drained. They couldn’t be…he was only learning how to be human again…and they hadn’t been together long enough…

“We’ve decided…” Astrid bit her lip in anticipation, “to be nationally registered as a Museum by the Association of Independent Museums!”  
“Oh THANK JESUS!” Axel nearly shouted.

Phillis clutched her chest and laughed loudly. “Oh darling, don’t do that.”

“Oh what? Did you—did you think we were engaged?!” Astrid asked, feigning indignation.

Phillis rolled her eyes. “With you, nothing is off the table. Or did you forget that just last year, your house was literally haunted?”

“Oh trust me, I couldn’t forget if I wanted to.” Astrid bumped Hiccup playfully.

Stoick wandered over to the group, his third ale in hand. “Oh Hoffersons! Great ta see you. Did the kids spook ya, too?”

“Spook is an understatement,” Axel muttered.

In a sweeping hug, the chief pulled the two kids to his side. “Oh, but it’s so hard not to love them, even if they are conniving troll-brains.”

“Troll-brains, huh?” Axel mused. “Never heard that one before.”

“Oh, if you want more prehistoric insults, we’ve got a ton of them. Dragon breath, dunga, milk drinker, dwarven footed bastard…”

“Stupid?”

Astrid laughed as she watched her parents get along with the chief. It was nice to know that they approved of her being with Hiccup. “But really,” she interrupted, “Does anyone actually care that we’re being accredited?”

“Oh! Why yes!” Stoick recovered, “of course we’re all so proud that this little pet project has taken off so well…but what does it mean to be accredited?”

“It means that we can apply for grants, money. Not that we really need it, but we’ll be added to the national registry and other museums can lend us stuff for exhibits or loans. It also is good for insurance.”

“So, it’s a good thing?”

“The best thing that could have happened to us.”

“Besides the removal of the curse.” Hiccup muttered under his breath.

“Well, of course,” Astrid assured. “But that was obvious.”

It was then that more guests arrived, such as Astrid’s other family from around Wales, including her cousin Dale. He looked around the castle appreciatively.

“Hey Astrid! You finally got that ghost problem under control?” He called.

“Yep! This was the last one!” She shook Hiccup by the shoulder. Now you can come in and relax!”

Though he smiled, there was still an air of unease around him.

Astrid didn’t pay too much attention to it.

About 15 minutes before 9, Astrid tinged a fork on her glass, gathering everyone’s attention. She stood on the staircase up to the dining room. 

“Hello everyone! We’re so glad you all could make our Halloween party this year! Before we get started, we just wanted to make the announcement, that we have officially been accredited by the Association of Independent Museums! We can now actually call ourselves a Museum and not just a bed and breakfast!”

There was a round of applause as some guests laughed.

Once things calmed down, she continued. “The entertainment will start at 9 o’clock if everyone wants to make their way to the Ballroom. The vikings have planned something great! I don’t know what it is, but I’ve been told it’s going to be exciting!”

So the guests slowly poured into the Ballroom, where chairs were set up around the edge of the room. The fireplace was not ignited, due to the number of guests in the room. The windows were opened slightly, letting the sound of the rain into the room. On the East side of the room, another double staircase stood, leading up into the East Tower. This was where the vikings would make their entrance.

Once upon a time, the ballroom had been a throne room, as Astrid had seen in her vision with Drago. For the performance, the Throne had been recovered from the cellar and sat in it’s place at the base of the stairs.

Hiccup held his arm out as a gesture to escort her to her seat. She met it, and followed along willingly. He gestured at the throne. She supposed it was appropriate, given she was the mistress of the house, but she imagined the sword that plunged through the back and became nervous.

Hiccup gave her a quick smooch to the cheek and then hurried up the stairs.

Astrid looked out on her guests like a queen looking out on her kingdom. Everyone was excitedly chatting and over all having a good time.

The grandfather clock in the Grand Hall struck 9 and everyone grew quiet.

The electric lights on the iron chandeliers blew out one at a time in a flurry of sparks. Astrid jumped a little in her seat. The fireplace went up in smoke before a roaring green fire took place. Those seated nearby leapt from their chairs and scooted away. Then the windows blew all the way open and cold air and rain came in. The guests cried out and scurried away from that wall as well.

This all seemed very cool and spooky, until the main chandelier on the ceiling glowed green. This chandelier was very very old, and very fragile. Several centuries ago, the apparatus to lower it had broken, and the only way to get it to it was with a very tall ladder. It was the only fixture in the castle that had not been outfitted with electricity in the turn of the century. If the castle was still haunted, she wouldn’t have even batted an eyelash at it, but now, with what she knew…there was no way that light should have been on.

Hiccup, in the midst of putting on a costume, snuck down the stairs and knelt to speak in her ear. “What’s going on?”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean? Isn’t this you guys?”

“No...” He looked around the room, “unless the twins are up to something…but they were just back with me.”

“I’m going to talk to them.”

Another spark of electricity blew off the sconces on the stairs and Astrid had to shield herself against it. Before she reached the door, Ruff and Tuff threw open the door and shouted, “It’s not us this time!”  
“We swear!”

“Then what—?”

When they turned back around, a woman in white robes stood in the middle of the room, sparks falling around her like snow. In one hand, she held a sickle, and in the other, an oak staff. Her face was concealed with the hood.

Astrid glanced at her friends, who all looked confused.

So she made her way carefully back down to the main floor. “Uh, hi? Can I help you?”

“ _Young Hofferson_ …” She spoke, with a haunting voice. “ _Mistress of a curse, and hollow walls with bloodstained decor._ ”

Astrid stood a little taller, glancing over at the interested guests. They assumed this was part of the show. So she would pretend.

“Who are you?”

“ _My name is of no importance, but know that I am the rightful owner to this castle. And I have come to reclaim it._ ”

Ah, one of _those_ people. “Ma’am, this Castle has been in the Hofferson name for over a thousand years.”

“ _And who owned the castle before? Surely, if you have made it this far, the origins of the castle are not a mystery to you.”_

Astrid crossed her arms, feeling extremely uncomfortable. “The castle was built by druids.”

“ _My people! The castle was built by my people!_ ” She threw back her hood, displaying the horror underneath. A gruesome skull, with remains still hanging on for dear life. “ _You and your kind have rotted here for too long. Now, on the eve of Samhaim, we desire our great hall again_.”

Stoick, red in the face, hurried down the stairs and stepped between Astrid and the woman. “Your people!? You mean you’re a druid?!”

“ _That which was in those days, a priest of_ _Arianrhod_ _and that which the aos sí fear. A druid I am, and in the lake I wait for the Samhain where the Invaders have gone.”_

“Look here!” Stoick called, walking up to her bravely, sticking a finger in her chest. “Me and my kind have continued to exist in this castle of over a thousand years because _your_ people decided cursing us would be a fun revenge plot. Now that’s all over, you want it back?! I hardly call that fair! Especially since the Hoffersons were the ones preserving the castle all this time! You’d let it all go to ruin!”

It was pretty ballsy for Stoick to antagonize her like that, Astrid had to admit. 

“ _Regardless of time and sentimentality, this land belonged to the Celtic Druids of Arianrhod, and by rite, it remains in our hands. It was not given, but taken by brute strength and callous hearts._ ”

Hiccup interjected, “Wait, you have the wrong idea! We were told a bunch of murderers and bandits lived here with their hoard! We wouldn’t have come if we had known!”

“ _Viggo Ryker fed you these lies, did he not? Fear not, young chief, for his justice has been served._ ”

“Yeah, I’m sure being immortal sucked…” Snotlout muttered from the top of the stairs. The twins elbowed him to keep him silent.

“ _Still after all this time, have you not learned your lesson?_ ”

Astrid wormed her way around to talk to the woman again. “Hi, me again, I’m only 23. I had nothing to do with your castle being raided, and I’ve taken good care of it. Why punish me?”

“ _Silly simple girl. Yours is blood that hath spilt thousands. Your nature is power and destruction. You would as soon give into that as the vikings you cherish. Though born of another era, you can not deny what you are. You are a viking. A thief, a liar, and a desecrator_.”

Astrid puffed up her chest. “If I’m a viking, then you forget that I’m also loyal, kind, and willing to fight for my home.”

The woman snarled, taking a step back. She held her arms up and her robes began to swirl in the wind. “ _Then suffer for your stubbornness! Tonight your head shall not rest on down, but on a pike!_ ”

A severe rattling noise came from outside and in the Grand Hall, followed shortly with grunts and groans.

Then, a young guest peeked out the door and let out a shriek. “ZOMBIE!” She cried.

“Draugar…” Hiccup whispered.

Astrid acted quickly. “Everyone quick! This is not part of the show! Barricade the doors!”

The once interested crowd turned panicked. Men threw themselves against the doors to the Grand hall, just as it swelled from the other side.

“What do we do?!” A woman screamed.

“ _There is a way_ ,” the druid spoke. “ _If you kill the Hoffersons and the vikings, you will be spared from their fate._ ”

“No!” Declared Gobber, appearing from the North Tower. His arms were filled with weapons from the armory. “We fight!”

The vikings on the stairs cheered out a ‘here, here!’ and scrambled to get a weapon. Gobber reached them and held out Stoick’s Hammer and a short sword handle for Hiccup. “The draugar are coming in the front door. The North Tower is the safest place. And I was able to reach the armory.” Finally, he handed Astrid her axe. “Well lass? Are you a viking?”

She took it with a sure grip. “I am.”

Hiccup pressed a button on his handle and his sword burst into flames. They both looked at the woman.

“You got a problem with us fighting for our freedom?”

She laughed. “ _Be my guest. Now you can suffer and watch each of your family and loved ones be slowly picked apart by invaders. I will stay and enjoy your demise_.”

Hiccup frowned at her. “Ruff, Tuff, Snotlout, and Fish. I’m giving you charge of the guests. Escort them to chapel! After everyone is safe, let Toothless out! Go! Go now!”

“You heard the man!” Snotlout shouted to the guests. “Let’s move!”

A handful of vikings with weapons took over the spots of those holding the door closed.

As Astrid took up her spot next to Hiccup, her axe at the ready, she saw her cousin Dale climbing out a window on the opposite side of the room. She didn’t have time to stop and think about it, as a bony fist punched a hole through the door.

“We can’t hold them off much longer!” A man called. 

“Just a bit longer…” Hiccup stated, his eyes closed. He seemed to be concentrating on something, but what?

A distant roar called over from the South Tower.

“Now!”

The vikings let go of the doors and prepared their weapons.

Draugar came spilling in, all smelling of death and decay. They reminded Astrid of the bodies that she first saw opening the crypt, but these were much more heinous in sight and movement. And they had a low green glow to them.

The hall was alive with violence. Hacking, slashing, and gnawing…there was not a soul that wasn’t fighting for their life, or death as the case may be. Despite how many draugar had fallen, it was a miracle no viking had yet.

A resilient people indeed.

“More and more keep coming!” Gobber shouted helplessly.

“And where are they coming from?!” Stoick added, sending a skull flying off into a wall.

“The lake!” Astrid cried out in realization. “Dale saw statues under the water! I bet that’s where they’re all coming from!”

“ _Keen and clever is she_ ,” said the druid, standing by the windows. “ _Those that were forgotten, dead and alive again. Waiting restlessly in the murky depths._ ” 

A strong jaw clamped onto Astrid’s ankle, a previously decapitated head. She swung her leg and kicked the skull off of her, tearing her flesh at the same time.

A bony hand caught the skull, and reattached it to it’s shoulders.

“Guys…they aren’t dying!”

“ _For how could those that have died before truly die again?_ ”

-

Meanwhile, outside, Dale had lowered himself onto the roof of the Northwest hall. In the cover of darkness and rain, he carefully made his way over to the parking lot. The draugar were coming from the lake, around both sides of the castle to the front door. This all would have been a hopeless endeavor, if he had not parked next to the shed on the Southwest wall. So he carefully shimmied along the edge of the West Tower and back down to the Southwest hall. The shed was within jumping distance, but only if he did it right. The draugar were close below, preparing to raid the castle.

A lighting strike came, and he leapt, hitting the roof of the shed at the same time as thunder cracked. From there, he slid into the bed of his truck and opened the slightly cracked window to the cabin.

He was terrified, but there was a thrill of adrenaline. “God, I’ve always wanted to do this.”

-

Astrid was having a hard time staying on her feet. Her leg hurt terribly as it bled. She retreated to the back of the pack. She didn’t want her friends to worry about her, and she could admit that they were better trained fighters than she was.

“Will this ever end?” She wondered out loud.

She glanced around the room, hoping for some sort of way to turn the tide. That miracle appeared in the form of Dale, climbing back in the window, a shotgun in hand.

She knew there was a reason he was her favorite cousin.

“Eat lead, bitch!” He shouted, before firing a slug at the druid.

Juice splattered on Astrid, and the room went silent.

As she wiped the slime from her face, she opened her eyes to find all the draugar limp on the ground.

No one knew what to say for a minute.

“Es tha’ it?” Gobber asked.

Astrid sighed, looking at the white robes that only held dust. “I…I can only hope.”

Dale fell into a chair. “That’s what I saw in the lake,” he explained. “When my mom said we were going to a party here, I couldn’t help but feel paranoid enough to put my shotgun in my truck.”

“And thank God that you did!” Astrid laughed breathlessly.

Gobber put his hands on his hips. “I SAID—GUNS CANNOT KILL GHOSTS! AN’ WHAT TO YA DOO? YA KILL THE GHOST—WITH A GUN! UNBELIEVABLE!”

That night was awful. Refunds were made to all the guests that checked in for the weekend, and they returned with plenty of promises for lawsuits.

Then the clean up began. All the windows were opened because of the awful stench. In all, their had to be about 50 draugar pulled out of the castle and put in stacks outside.

According the the vikings, the draugar had to be burned, or they could be revived once again. But of course, it was raining, so all they could do was pile them up and cover the bodies with tarps.

It was truly a barbaric night.

Then everyone set to work cleaning the rest of the castle. It was a complete and total mess. The floor felt slimy in every step, either with mud or other questionable fluids.

Toothless was forced outside because of his filth. “You did a good job, bud. You’re just…really gross.”

The dragon didn’t quite mind, and frolicked out in the rain.

Astrid shook her head. “What an absolute nightmare. Look at this place! It’s a total wreck! I don’t even know if professionals could get these carpets clean! And the smell…” She lamented.

“Hey,” Hiccup nudged her. “Don’t worry, we’ll get it all cleaned up. Why don’t you go take a shower?”

“But everyone else is cleaning…”

“Aww lass, it’s alright. You spent the whole day setting this party up. You must be exhausted.”

Phillis and Axel came into the room, looking less than enthused with the situation. “Well, another fun holiday at the castle.” Axel said, sarcastically.

“I’m sorry guys, I was really hoping this was all behind us.”

Phillis hugged her. “Oh honey, ghosts, vikings, zombies and curses…they’ve all been here before us. You have nothing to feel bad about, you’re just stuck in the middle of it. And we’re here for you. I know we had that incident last year—“

“Oh my god, Astrid! What happened to your leg!?” Snotlout shouted.

Everyone immediately looked down to her leg, to see the calf of her khaki pants totally red. But it was Hiccup who acted first. He lifted her up, bridal style, to get her weight off of it. “What happened?”

On reflex, she put her arms around his shoulders. “I’m fine. I just got bit by a decapitated head...wait…I’m not going to turn into a zombie, am I?”

“That’s just those movies you showed us, lass.” Stoick assured.

“But you really should let me look at that.” Hiccup adjusted his grip on her.

“And make sure it gets sanitized! Human mouths are filthy!” Phillis added.

“Go ahead,” Stoick waved them off. “We can handle this.”

And so Hiccup carried her up to her room and into the bathroom. Blessedly, the bedrooms were clean and clear of any filth, since the draugar had been on a pretty clear path.

Hiccup turned on the water in the tub to draw her a bath.

“Can you take off your pants?”

She shimmied out of her ruined dress pants and sat on the toilet, while he sat on the edge of the tub and eased her leg into his lap. He poked and prodded and listened to her wince.

“Well, the wound isn’t as deep as I thought. Just enough to cause bleeding.”

“That’s good at least. I have some hydrogen peroxide in the top drawer, if you could dab that on there.”

So he cleaned and cared for her wound, being delicate and soft as he did. Once it was cleaned and wrapped, he turned around so that she could have some privacy.

“What are you doing?” She asked, noticing that he hadn’t left the room.

“I...just wanted to talk for a bit. If that’s okay.”

She settled into the water, her bad leg hanging over the edge. “Okay…”

He still didn’t turn around. Only moved so he could sit next to the tub. His hand touched her leg absently. He was quiet a long time, trying to find his words.

“Hiccup?”

“You know I love you, right?”

She was surprised. “Of course, you tell me every day.”

“Well…I’ve never loved anybody else. I doubt I ever will again.”

“I love you too…” She agreed.

He turned his head slightly to smile softly at her. “So here’s the thing…I want to marry you. I know we’ve only been together a few months, but in our culture, there isn’t really a dating stage. You find someone you’re interested in, and then you get engaged. So to me…this has felt like forever. Is that crazy? It’s just…I can’t see myself with anyone else after all you’ve done for us…” He barely noticed that her leg had moved until her damp arms were around his shoulders and she kissed the back of his neck.

He shivered.

“Hiccup, I understand completely.” She spoke softly against his skin, giving him goosebumps. It was a feeling he was still getting used to. “Honestly, I think I loved you a long time before I said I did. I don’t think I would have come for you in that tower if I didn’t.”

He turned slowly, locking his eyes with hers.

“I want to marry you too.” She smiled. “After everything we’ve been through, I don’t think I could be with anybody else.” She cupped his face and rubbed her thumb over his cheek. “And experiences aside, you’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. Kind, smart, cute.”

A wrinkle formed at his lip where he smiled. “You’re pretty cute, yourself.”

She pecked him on the nose. “So, my advice…get a ring. Ask my parents for permission. Then, ask me officially.”

“What do I say, when I ask?”

“My full name.”

“Astrid Sojornor Hofferson…”

“That’s not my middle name.”

“Astrid…Shieldmaiden—“

“Try again.”

Hiccup grinned. “Astrid Lee Hofferson…now what?”

“‘Will you marry me?’”

“Will you marry me?”

“And then, I say, ‘yes.’ Or some other affirmative.”

He leaned a little closer, only a breath away. “Then what?”

“Then…we kiss.”

“Like this?” He pressed his lips to hers in a soft caress.

She hummed against him, and then pulled away. “No, more like this.” She pulled him closer and kissed him soundly and sweetly. Her hands wandering up into his hair as he sighed in ecstasy.

He pulled away for half a second, “I can do that,” before he was pulled against her again.

—

Gobber knocked at her bedroom door. “Astrid? Hiccup?”

He poked his head in, glancing around and seeing nothing. But then he heard the distinct sound of splashing and giggling.

“Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

——

The next day, around noon, Eret puttered home in his truck. Normally, he would have loved to stay for the party, but he went to a friend’s party instead….and ended up passing out on the couch. It had been a rough night. Awkward flirting with a girl in a sexy nurse outfit, then some beer…then some jello shots…then the beer _keg_ …He hadn’t partied like that since college, and he promised he never would again.

When he finally pulled up to the castle, their were several police cars there. Along with piles and piles of dead, rotting bodies, being drenched in gasoline.

He stepped out of the truck with clear confusion.

“Oh, hello Eret! Ya missed all the fun last night!”

Eret didn’t know how to respond, and simply meandered into the house. A steam cleaning service was in the middle of cleaning what looked like blood and…green slime off the antique carpets.

Astrid was on the phone when he spotted her. “—no we have electricity, we just need to have our chandeliers looked at—“

He tapped her on the shoulder.

“Oh hi,” she mouthed.

With a silent questioning look, he gestured around the chaos of the room.

“Zombies,” she answered simply.

Eret nodded.

That made perfect sense.

 

Okay, now it’s actually finished! I finished the last chapter at like 3 am, and I didn’t want to think off the story anymore, so I marked it as complete. The next day I kind of thought ‘oh wait, I still have that thing…’

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews that have been left over the last…oh 12 chapters. That’s just about how long Roses and Lilies is too. (One of my other favorites of mine.) Your kind words really keep me going and give me inspiration to write (and paint).

Like my Facebook page and find me on Tumblr, all at P-Artsypants! Maybe also leave a comment down below? I need constant validation.

 

Now, I bet you’re wondering what’s next? I’m still working on my goal to reach 1,000,000 words by the end of the year, and we have quite a bit to go.

Well, here’s the summary for my next fic, coming…sometime…

 

“Far From Home-

NEW YORK TIMES: GREATEST HISTORICAL DISCOVERY FOUND OUTSIDE ICELAND

What might be the greatest historical, biological, medical, and zoological discovery has been made by a curious archaeologist, Prof. Susan Bleu and a dedicated Doctor of Cryogentics, Dr. John Black. A dragon, identified to be called a Nightfury, was perfectly preserved in ice and thawed to live again. Along with the dragon was a young man, a viking, who has also survived a long freeze in the ice for over a thousand years. Prof. Bleu and Dr. Black will be presenting the find in August at a conference at Cambridge. More on page 3.

 


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